


Snakes Don't Always Bite

by joy_infires



Series: Snakes [1]
Category: UP10TION
Genre: Age Difference, Blood, Consensual Underage Sex, Fluff, Friends to Lovers, Friendship, Fuckbuddies, Gang, High School, Jingyeol - Freeform, Kinda, M/M, OT4 relationship, Polyamory, Swearing, Underage Drinking, Underage Smoking, Violence, jinhoo and wooseok are besties, mentions of drugs/addiction, ot3 relationship, some death but nobody important, sunjin, use of guns, weiyoul, wooxiao, xiao and kogyeol are brothers
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-01-27
Updated: 2018-02-23
Packaged: 2019-03-10 01:42:54
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 51
Words: 40,129
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13494170
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/joy_infires/pseuds/joy_infires
Summary: Wooseok is among the Top 10 highest ranked students at his high school, as expected of a senior class president. He lives with his father who is very strict about his grades to the point where Wooseok used desperate measures in the past...Dongyeol, who goes by Xiao, is a junior at the same high school as Wooseok. He is part of the Vipers; a gang, led by his older brother Kogyeol, which sells guns and sometimes drugs. He's also a notorious flirt and a pro at annoying Wooseok.Warning this story will include: swearing, underage drinking, smoking, sex (no full smut but it's definitely going to be hinted)...there's going to be violence, mentions of drugs/addiction, mentions/usage of guns. I don't think it's gonna be too hardcore though, just thought you should know.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> So I played with their ages a little...and I'm using the names they go by in this fic here so it's a mix of stage names n real names. Hope you're okay with that:
> 
> Wooseok: 19 years old  
> Xiao: 18 years old  
> Jinwook: 19 years old  
> Kuhn: 23 years old  
> Hwanhee: 18 years old  
> Kogyeol: 23 years old  
> Wei: 22 years old  
> Bit-to: 22 years old  
> Yein: 20 years old  
> Gyujin: 19 years old
> 
> I put underage warnings in the tags because in South Korea you'll become an adult at age 19. Since Xiao and Hwanhee are 18, though I put the warnings! Just to be clear...

Kim Wooseok. 5th rank. ‘Hm, that’s two ranks higher than last time’ Wooseok thought to himself as he turned to walk away from the announcement board. He had long since given up trying to become first. The sacrifice was too high. As long as he always ranked within the Top 10 his father  _should_  be off his ass.

“Fifth, huh?” Wooseok’s best friend Kim Jinwook said with a wide smile on his full lips. Wooseok smiled back, a little one. “Which rank did you get?” he questioned. “14th. But that’s good enough for me”, Jinwook answered. His friend didn’t care as much about grades as he did, yet, he still managed to do well.

“Are we gonna hang out after class?” Wooseok asked. Jinwook shook his head apologetically. “Computer club challenged me. They claimed that I couldn’t hack the Principal’s private files in less than five minutes. Rain check?” Wooseok chuckled. There was nobody who could handle a computer better than Kim Jinwook. Let it be programming, gaming or hacking – he could do it all.

“Sure. I should study anyway...”, Wooseok said. Jinwook patted his back. “Midterms are over. You need to relax, loosen up a bit. Even our Class President could use a break once in a while”, he advised.

“Not to mention someone to spend it with”, another voice interrupted their talk.

The two boys turned around. Lee Dongyeol, otherwise known as Xiao to everyone, had been walking behind them. He was known to be in a gang called  _Vipers_  which was led by his older brother whom everyone called Kogyeol.

Xiao was a junior, a year beneath Wooseok and Jinwook. However, that didn’t stop him from shamelessly flirting the hell out of his upperclassmen – or in this particular case: Wooseok.

“Get lost, Xiao”, Wooseok told him. Xiao smirked. “I’d love to get lost in the sheets with you”, he answered. Wooseok rolled his eyes. “I’m outta here...”, he said and started walking away. Xiao caught up with him and put an arm around Wooseok’s shoulders. The older was a little bit shorter than Xiao which made it comfortable for the latter.

“Aw, come on...I’ve seen it in your eyes, Class President. You’d love to get freaky with me once, wouldn’t ya?” He laughed as Wooseok pushed him off. “You’ll change your mind one day”, he called after him as Wooseok rushed away.

Xiao  _was_  hot, Wooseok would never say it out loud but he’d admitted it to himself a while ago. But Xiao being hot didn’t change the fact that he was who he was. According to his friend, another junior named Hwanhee, Xiao “sleeps with guys but he leaves before the cum dries”. Wooseok had asked him if he was speaking from experience but Hwanhee had preferred not to answer that. Nevertheless, that fact alone was enough for Wooseok not to get involved with him.

“Ignore him...”, Jinwook said. “He will never get me into his bed. Never in a million years!” Wooseok exclaimed. He would find out very soon how wrong he was. 


	2. Chapter 2

Wooseok’s father was waiting for him when he got home the same evening. “So? How’d you do on the midterms? You got your results today, right?” Wooseok was used to his father getting straight to the point. A “hey, how was your day?” would’ve been nice once in a while but Wooseok was done hoping for that to happen.

“I placed fifth”, Wooseok answered his father’s question. He didn’t look happy or proud and Wooseok knew that if things went after his father, he should have ranked first. But after what happened during junior year Wooseok’s father knew better than to obviously push him.

“Very well, then. I have to leave for work. Do some studying while I’m gone but don’t stay up too long”, Mr Kim said. Wooseok only nodded and went to his room. He tried to ignore his shaky hands but it was just too much. Couldn’t his father just appreciate his efforts for once? Didn’t he know that the things Wooseok did during junior year were only because of the pressure his father always put him under?

He was fifth out of 340 students! Most parents would have hugged him, told him he did well and that they were proud of him. Wooseok just got an invisible ‘Better luck next time’ card from his father every time. It should make Wooseok want to try harder but he’d been there before and he’d much rather give up being in his father’s favor than have junior year repeat itself.

~

“Seriously, who does that guy think he is? Does he think wearing a ridiculous leather jacket and driving a motorbike to school makes him look cool and intimidating?” Hwanhee raged against his least favorite classmate Xiao during lunch period.

Jinwook and Wooseok decided not to say anything. “I guess his ego is even bigger than his-...”, Hwanhee cut himself off, a blush spreading on his cheeks. “Anyway, he’s so annoying”, he quickly finished his rant.

“His brother’s hot, though”, Jinwook deadpanned. “Seriously? That thug?” Hwanhee exclaimed. Jinwook shrugged. “Gotta admire a beautiful man when you see one”, he said. Wooseok gave him a side look. “I thought you were over your crush on Kogyeol”, he stated.

“I am! But that doesn’t make him any less hot”, Jinwook explained. Wooseok laughed at his friend’s explanation. Kogyeol went to the same university as Jinwook’s older sister and he used to pick up Xiao from school before the younger had gotten his motorcycle.

Jinwook would pay his sister lots of visits on campus or spend an unnecessary amount of time in the school parking lot just to see him but he claimed to be over that now “you know, since he’s the leader of a gang and all.”

“That whole family is no good...”, Hwanhee grumbled. A hand came down to ruffle his hair. “You seemed to have a good time back then, though, Hwanhee. If you speak about me like that you might ruin my reputation”, Xiao’s cocky voice spoke up behind Hwanhee. Wooseok looked up from his lunch to find Xiao looking directly at him.

“Don’t act like there’s anything to ruin”, Wooseok said. Xiao just grinned. “Piss off, asshole!” Hwanhee snapped. “Aw, come on, Hwanhee. You used to like me so much. If you stop talking bad about me maybe Wooseok here will come to realize what a nice guy I am.” Both, Hwanhee and Wooseok huffed.

“Why the sudden interest in me, huh? Don’t you have lots of dudes chasing after you? Just go and play with one of them”, Wooseok said. Xiao chuckled. “Oh, come on, Class President. That’s boring. These guys tend to get mad at me once they realize that I’m not into them the way they’re into me. Isn’t that right, Hwanhee?” he questioned mockingly. Hwanhee only rolled his eyes.

“You’re so full of yourself, you know that?” Wooseok snapped. The younger shrugged. “I get that a lot”, he answered. “There’s still enough of me to fill you up, though.”

Was this guy serious? “I’m not interested. Now get lost before I lose my temper”, Wooseok threatened. Was it wise to say that kind of thing to a gang member? He didn’t care. Xiao didn’t scare him. He was just glad when the younger finally decided to leave. 

 


	3. Chapter 3

Wooseok usually didn’t drink alcohol, mainly because he hated the taste. Tonight, however, he really needed it. After another tiring conversation with his father about grades and university he just felt like doing something stupid, something that defied his perfect model student image. His father was at work and Wooseok knew this small bar where he decided to go through with his dumb idea.

Needless to say he got drunk pretty damn fast.

“Aren’t you a little young to be lurking around in places like this?” a big, bearded man asked after taking a seat across from Wooseok. His tone let on that he was up to no good but Wooseok was too far gone to notice.

He’d put his head down on the table, trying to cool down a little. “Do you want me to take you home?” the man asked. “No...”, Wooseok replied. “Are you sure? You look pretty beat”, the man said. Wooseok lifted his head off the table. The guy got up and helped him up from his chair.

“Come on, let’s get you out of here”, the man said. Wooseok was too dizzy to protest. He just wanted to sleep. He let himself get dragged outside to the tiny parking lot. The fresh air definitely helped him sober up just a tiny bit.

A guy was standing outside, smoking a cigarette. He was leaning against the wall and looked up when the man came outside with Wooseok. “Going somewhere?” he spoke up. The man stopped dead in his tracks. “Xiao... shouldn’t you be in bed at this hour?”

Xiao threw his cigarette on the floor and stepped on it. “Let him go while I’m being nice”, he warned, referring to Wooseok who was silently watching the scenario. He was drunk as hell but he was sure that Xiao was trying to help him.

“Let me go...”, he slurred. He couldn’t muster enough strength to break free from the guy’s grip, though. “You heard him! Let him go!” Xiao said. The man let go, all right – Wooseok dropped to the floor, trying not to fall over completely – but he also drew a knife.

“I don’t appreciate kids telling me what to do, _Viper_ ”, he growled. Xiao rolled his eyes, clearly unfazed by the guy’s knife.  “Then maybe you should stay in your fucking territory, don’t you think?” Xiao pulled something out from his back pocket – a gun.

“Your brother wouldn’t appreciate this...”, the man said. His voice trembled a little. “Are you sure? Cause I think I got the order to deal with guys who cause trouble in our territory the way I want...”, Xiao said.

“It’s up to you, _Wolf_...get lost now and never bother him again or watch me dutifully carry out my orders!” he said. The ‘Wolf’ put his knife down. “Fine”, he murmured, shooting a dirty look at Wooseok, who was still sitting on the floor.

“You have him to thank. I would’ve gotten rid of you without hesitation but I wouldn’t want to scare someone I’m trying to impress. Go before I change my mind”, Xiao said, watching the man closely. The Wolf went over to his car and got in before driving away.

Xiao put away his gun. “Come on...”, Xiao addressed Wooseok as he walked over to him. He helped the older stand up. “I’m going to take you home.” Wooseok had sobered up a little bit, due to the fresh air and the sight of the weapons.

“I can’t go home like this...” His dad would know what was up when he came home from work and checked if Wooseok was still up. Call it instinct but this man was a pro at discovering Wooseok’s mistakes.

Xiao steadied Wooseok and started heading for his motorcycle. “My brother’s out of town so I’m taking you to his hide-...I mean his apartment”, he said.

Getting Wooseok on the motorcycle and putting a helmet on his head was a piece of work.

“Can you hold on to me?” Wooseok sloppily wrapped his arms around the younger’s waist and rested his head against his back. Xiao was glad that the drive to Kogyeol’s hide-out was only 10 minutes long. He felt like Wooseok was going to fall off his bike any minute. He almost had to carry the older inside the spacious five bedroom apartment. Xiao took Wooseok to the first bedroom he could reach.

“Damn, Class President...you’re really something, you know that?” he mumbled. He was just about to turn and leave when Wooseok grabbed the sleeve of his leather jacket. “Don’t go...”

There was something in his eyes; a look that Xiao couldn’t quite point out because the room was too dark. Wooseok motioned for Xiao to come closer. The younger did as he was told. He didn’t need any further instructions, though.

He grabbed a handful of Wooseok’s hair at the back of his head and kissed him. The older tasted like alcohol and it mixed in with the taste of the cigarette smoke, still lingering on his tongue.

Before he knew it Wooseok’s shirt was on the floor. He went along with it, though, not caring who he was with right now. Wooseok gasped when Xiao pushed him back into the pillows. The younger shrugged off his leather jacket and pulled the plain white shirt he wore underneath over his head before straddling Wooseok.

He didn’t ask what changed Wooseok’s mind, he didn’t ask if he was sure, he just leaned down and started mouthing along his jaw line. His hands were busy all over Wooseok’s body; his nipples, his smooth, flat belly and finally, the growing bulge inside his pants.

Wooseok moaned when Xiao started palming him, while sucking purple marks on his neck. He couldn’t muster words but luckily Xiao decided to sit back the next moment and fumble open the button of his pants to pull them down, along with his boxers...  
  


 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I suck at writing smut. I tried but I failed so I'm gonna cut this here


	4. Chapter 4

Wooseok woke up with the mother of all headaches. His eyes had a hard time adjusting to the light that flooded into his room.

Only that this wasn’t his room...

Wooseok closed his eyes, hoping that if he opened them again he’d be at home in his own bed.

He got disappointed.

When he opened his eyes he was still in the same unfamiliar room. Another thing he realized, much to his horror, was that he wasn’t wearing any clothes.

Wooseok took a careful look to the other side of the bed and almost let out a scream. ‘No, that can’t be’, he thought. Next to him was a just as naked Xiao, luckily still fast asleep. Wooseok tried to remember last night’s events but they were blurry in his mind.

He got up, ignoring the faint sting in his lower backside that did nothing but confirm his worst imaginations, and started gathering his clothes from the floor. He had to get out of here, quick!

~

The bus ride home was a bitch. People were way too loud and cheerful which didn’t help with his hangover at all. He tried to recall what had led him to sleep with Xiao but all he could remember was a slimy dude at the bar who’d tried to get with him.

‘Did Xiao help me?’

The thought crossed his mind but he dismissed it the very next second. Xiao didn’t give a damn about other people. He just used them for his own pleasure. Wooseok shook his head (which hurt, bad!) and decided to forget about last night completely!

Wooseok’s father was asleep when he got home so he sneaked into the bathroom to take a shower. His eyes widened when he looked into mirror and found his whole neck covered in hickeys. How the hell was he supposed to cover these up before he went to school? He’d already be late but now he might as well skip.

He sighed, figuring that his dad would never allow that and on top of that he’d ask questions... Wooseok took his shower and then waddled to his room to put on his uniform. As expected, the hickeys were still clearly visible, even with his collar up. He ruffled his hair in frustration.

“Maybe if I cover it up with a scarf...if people ask I could tell them I have a sore throat...”, he mumbled to himself as he went to one of his drawers and pulled out a blue scarf which he wrapped around his neck. It was April so it was a bit warm to wear one but it covered up the marks of shame on his neck.

~

“Whoa, don’t even think about passing your germs on to me!” Jinwook exclaimed when Wooseok took his seat next to him in the classroom. “I’m not sick...”, Wooseok said in a low voice. That perked the older’s interest.

“Then what’s the scarf for?” he asked in a knowing voice. “Did somebody get a little wild last night?” Wooseok placed his arms on the table and buried his face in them. “I don’t want to talk about it”, he mumbled.

Jinwook chuckled. “Who was it?” he asked curiously. Wooseok groaned. “Nobody.” “Mhm, sure”, Jinwook said. There was something about his tone that made Wooseok fear that he already knew.

Class started and Wooseok had to sit through all of it, his headache pulling at his nerves. He spent his lunch break with Hwanhee and Jinwook, trying not to look up from his tray the entire time.

“Oh great...there’s Xiao”, Hwanhee said in a displeased tone of voice. Wooseok tensed. Maybe Xiao would ignore him now that he’d succeeded in getting him into his bed. “He’s coming over...”, Hwanhee added.

Of course, Wooseok got disappointed again.

Wooseok got up, almost knocking over his chair, before storming out of the cafeteria. He heard Xiao calling “hey, Class President” after him but he ignored it. Why Xiao of all people? The one time he got drunk he just had to run into Xiao and go home with him.

He headed back to the classroom and just slumped down on his seat. His headache was only getting worse and the thought of Xiao doing god knows what with him was not helping. It had probably been consensual because, despite everything, Wooseok didn’t think that Xiao was a rapist.

“You’re fast”, a voice interrupted his trail of thoughts. Wooseok wanted to cry at this point. Did he really have to come after him to gloat? “ **Why did you follow me even though I clearly don’t want to talk to you ever again?** ” he yelled. Xiao shrugged. “I guess-“ “You know what, I don’t even care. Just leave me alone”, Wooseok interrupted him. He got up and pushed Xiao aside, storming out of the classroom. He didn’t care what his dad was going to say; he was going home!

~

“What are you already doing home? And why are you wearing a scarf?” Mr Kim asked when his son stepped into the kitchen to get a glass of water. “I wasn’t feeling well...”, he replied. It wasn’t even a lie but he could practically feel his father raising his eyebrow, despite his back facing him.

“I’ll go rest a little and then do some studying. Don’t worry, I won’t miss anything important at school”, he said monotonously before heading to his room. Wooseok locked the door and fell back on his bed with an exhausted sigh.

How could he ever go back to school again? Xiao would be extra cocky about whatever happened between them. At least today was Friday so he had the weekend to drown in his own shame...

 


	5. Chapter 5

Unfortunately, Wooseok’s wish to drop off the face of earth was not granted so he had to go back to school the following Monday. He had spent the weekend digging in his memory, trying to find proof that this was all Xiao’s fault...

He got disappointed once again.

He remembered how Xiao had scared the slimy guy from the bar off with a gun and how he’d offered to take him home. Unfortunately, he also remembered how he’d told Xiao that he couldn’t go home, how he’d held on to the younger on his motorbike, how he’d asked him not to go and how he was the one who had initiated  _it_.

The good news: he managed to get to class that morning without running into Xiao. The bad news: his luck only lasted during first period.

His English lesson had barely started when the door opened and none other than Xiao himself entered the classroom. “Sorry, teach. I gotta borrow the Class President for a bit. The Principal wants to discuss his greatness and all”, he explained to Wooseok’s skeptical English teacher. It was a weak lie but somehow he managed to get away with it. “Fine, go on, Wooseok”, she gave in with a shrug.

Wooseok had no choice but to follow Xiao outside. “What do you want? I know that Principal thing was a lie”, he said outside. Xiao didn’t answer. He reached for the older’s sleeve and dragged him along despite his protests.

He didn’t stop until they’d reached the janitor’s closet. “What the hell?!” Wooseok exclaimed. Xiao smirked and closed the door. He flipped a switch near the door and a dim light flickered on above their heads.  

“I never knew there was this side to you, Class President”, he finally spoke up. “What side?!” Wooseok snapped. The last thing he wanted was to be alone with this guy in a small, confined space. It somehow made him nervous.

“That carefree side of you...I thought you were always stuck-up and didn’t know how to have fun...”, Xiao stepped a little closer, causing Wooseok to take a step back. His back touched the wall and he was trapped like a mouse.

“What do you want me to say?” he asked defensively. Xiao stepped even closer, their chests almost touching. He leaned in and spoke right into Wooseok’s ear in a low, suggestive voice: “Admit you’re attracted to me.”

Wooseok wanted to huff but Xiao stood so close to him and it clouded his mind. He smelled like cigarette smoke and...was that popcorn? Whatever it was, it drove Wooseok crazy. He gulped.

“You want me to uselessly fuel your ego even more?” he questioned, trying his best not to stutter. Xiao caressed his cheek. “I can see it in your eyes. You think I’m hot”, he said confidently. Wooseok mentally cursed Xiao, both for being right about his thoughts and for being taller than him. It made him feel small.

The younger’s fingers travelled over his jaw line and his neck. The hickeys had vanished over the weekend (with lots of help in the form of cold compresses) which is why he wasn’t in need of his scarf anymore. Wooseok shuddered softly at the touch. It gave him goose bumps.

“Admit it...”, Xiao said. “Why? You had me in your bed. Why can’t you just drop me like your other conquests?” Wooseok questioned. “Is that really what you want?” Xiao asked with a low chuckle. _‘No’_ Wooseok’s mind answered. Part of Wooseok wanted to tell Xiao to touch him like he did the other night. But there was still his pride...

“Yes”, Wooseok replied instead. Xiao seemed to believe him just as much as he believed himself. He just smirked and unbuttoned the first button of the older’s school uniform. Wooseok didn’t complain or push him off.

“Listen”, Xiao mumbled, pressing a little kiss just beneath his ear lobe. “I’m not asking you out or something cheesy like that. I’m saying that something casual like this might be the right thing for you, Class President”, he explained, all while fully unbuttoning Wooseok’s shirt.

Wooseok didn’t want to argue anymore. Xiao’s fingers were brushing over his skin; the parts he’d touched felt like a trail of fire. “Fine...I admit I _might_ be attracted to you, happy?” he finally gave in. Xiao grinned his dumb grin again and kissed Wooseok while removing his unbuttoned shirt and throwing it on the floor.

Wooseok hated how riled up he got just from Xiao’s subtle touches. He hated that this was probably the most amusing thing to Xiao. But he didn’t complain...

~

“You might wanna do something about that fresh hickey on your neck”, Jinwook pointed out calmly when Wooseok slipped back into his seat between second and third period.

Wooseok’s hand flew to his neck to cover the blotchy red mark that Xiao just had to leave there. “So, you and the bad boy, huh?” Jinwook asked, while looking for something in his bag. It didn’t sound accusing or judging, though.

“I’m not proud of it...”, Wooseok replied. Jinwook seemed to have found what he was looking for and pulled it out of the bag now. “Here...cover it up before History class starts...”, he said, handing his best friend a little box of make-up. The younger looked at him questioningly but Jinwook just grinned. Wooseok decided to ask questions later. “Thanks”, he said before he got up and quickly headed to the bathroom. 


	6. Chapter 6

Wooseok spent several nights at Xiao’s brother’s apartment over the next two weeks. Xiao said that his brother was going to be out of town for the rest of the month so Wooseok could come over whenever. Sometimes, though, when Wooseok’s father was at work Xiao would climb through his bedroom window.

April turned into May and their ‘casual thing’ continued on. Since Kogyeol was back in town, though, they had to meet up at Wooseok’s place more often than before. At school Wooseok still mostly ignored Xiao but Jinwook saw right through him. He didn’t judge or interfere, though.

“Did you guys notice something weird about Xiao?” Hwanhee asked one day when they all sat in the cafeteria. Wooseok shrugged. “Don’t care”, he said. Jinwook looked at Hwanhee. “What do you mean weird?”

Hwanhee looked over his shoulder as if to check if Xiao was close enough to overhear their conversation. “I heard rumors about him not flirting with every dude he sees anymore. People say he stopped sleeping around...”, he told his two older friends.

“Maybe he settled down?” Jinwook suggested with a half-amused, half-daring look in Wooseok’s direction. “Him? Never!” Hwanhee exclaimed. “Maybe he grew up? Or maybe he just had every single dude at this school”, Wooseok snapped.

“Everyone but you, right?” Hwanhee asked. Wooseok remained silent, not wanting to directly lie into the younger’s face. “Hey! I haven’t slept with him! Not planning to, either. If he was his brother, though...”, Jinwook trailed off.

“Damn, Jinwook, you’re still into Xiao’s brother?” Hwanhee questioned. Jinwook grinned. “Hwanhee...one of these days you’ll understand that you can’t keep playing with the boys. At some point you need to go for the real men!”  

A chuckle made their heads turn. Gyujin from Jinwook’s and Wooseok’s class let himself fall into the seat next to Hwanhee. “I couldn’t agree more”, he said. “Right, you’re into old people as well...”, Hwanhee said.

Gyujin laughed at that. “Excuse you, my boyfriend is 22 and a med student. He’s not old at all”, he said. Hwanhee furrowed his brows in confusion. “Didn’t you say your boyfriend was a 20-year-old barista?” he questioned. Gyujin nodded. “That’s my other boyfriend”, he answered. Hwanhee’s eyes widened. “O-other? You’re-“

Gyujin laughed again at Hwanhee’s clueless expression. “I’m dating both of them and they’re dating as well. I love both of them equally. I don’t expect you to understand, though. Many people don’t”, he explained.

“It’s not that! I was just surprised...you never mentioned it”, Hwanhee said. “That’s because it’s weird for many people - myself _not_ included. I can fully understand that he wouldn’t want everyone to know...especially since it’s nobody’s business”, Wooseok spoke up for the first time since their classmate had joined them.

“Exactly, many people don’t know that it is possible for three or even more people to be together. Like, I could never choose which one I’d rather be with”, Gyujin replied. Hwanhee didn’t seem as confused anymore. “But don’t you ever get jealous?”

Gyujin shook his head at the younger’s question. Hwanhee seemed super interested in his love life but luckily Gyujin didn’t seem to mind. “We trust each other. That’s all there is to it”, he answered.

Hwanhee sighed. “I envy you...I don’t even have one boyfriend...”, he said. “There, there, Hwanhee. You’ll find someone”, Jinwook assured him. Hwanhee nodded half-heartedly. Wooseok spotted Xiao across the room but the younger didn’t look in his direction.

~

“Did you and Hwanhee go out before?” Wooseok asked Xiao the same night. The younger had just sat up to get dressed and leave Wooseok’s place. His back was facing him so the older got a good look at the tattoo on his shoulder blade. A snake. “Did he say that?” Xiao asked. Wooseok sat up as well.

“No, but he seems...I don’t know...kind of hung up on you?” “It was just sex. Once. Maybe twice. He thought I was a good guy which I’m not. I told him I wasn’t serious from the beginning. It’s not my fault he wanted more”, Xiao explained.

Wooseok wasn’t sure what to think. Hwanhee was his friend and here he was, screwing someone he might still have feelings for. It was wrong but Xiao managed to take some of his stress away. His father’s lack of interest bothered him a little less than before. And maybe, just maybe, he had grown to like being close to Xiao like this (he’d forever deny that if somebody asked, though).

“Why did you stop hooking up with other guys?” Wooseok questioned. Xiao was still shirtless but he’d put his black jeans back on by now and was tying his shoe laces. “Who said that I did?” he questioned, not looking at the older. “There are some rumors at school”, Wooseok answered.

Xiao hummed but didn’t answer. He put his plain black shirt and his leather jacket on and got up. “I’ll head out, Class President. See you around”, he said before climbing through Wooseok’s bedroom window. Seconds later the older heard an engine roar through the quiet night as Xiao took off. 


	7. Chapter 7

A few days later, Wooseok was surprised to find his father leaning in the doorframe to his room. “You’re home late”, he stated. He let Wooseok enter his room but followed him inside. “I was at the library. Aren’t you late for work?” Wooseok questioned. He opened his window to let some air into his stuffy room.

“Wooseok. Lately, you’ve been sleeping over at Jinwook's a lot...” Mr Kim trailed off. His son looked at him. It wasn’t like his father to drag things out. “You think I’m taking Adderall again”, Wooseok stated. “Are you?” his father asked.

Wooseok sat down on his bed and looked at his father again. “I’m not. I promise”, he answered truthfully. He would never touch that stuff again. Everything he did during junior year was reason enough to keep his hands off it forever.

“Okay...I’ll head to work then...”, his father said and proceeded to leave Wooseok’s room. A few seconds after his father had left the apartment there was a rustling sound beneath the window. He sighed when Xiao appeared on the window sill a moment later.

“Damn, Class President, study drugs, huh...” he said. “Shut up...”, Wooseok said half-heartedly. Xiao shrugged and hopped off the window sill. The older failed to notice the slight look of worry that flashed over Xiao’s face.

~

Jinwook gave his best friend a worried look. He hadn’t spoken a word all day and he hadn’t touched his lunch at all. He assumed that Wooseok was like this because of his father. That man was just putting too much pressure on his son without even realizing it.

He just hoped that Wooseok wouldn’t crack under all the pressure and take study drugs again like last year. “Stop looking at me like that...”, Wooseok spoke up, not looking at him. “Are you okay, Wooseok? You’ve been quiet all day...” Wooseok sighed at his friend’s question. “I’m fine...”

Jinwook raised a brow at him. “Wooseok...am I your best friend or am I not? You know I can tell when you’re lying to me...is it your dad?” he asked. Wooseok leaned back in his chair and ran a hand through his hair.

“He thought I...”, he looked around in the cafeteria to check if anyone was eavesdropping. Hwanhee decided to sit somewhere else today (with Gyujin, to be exact) so they were alone at their usual table.

“He thought I took that stuff again...”, he finally said in a lowered voice. “What made him think that?” Jinwook questioned. Wooseok shrugged. “He kinda noticed that I didn’t regularly sleep at home lately...but that’s because of Xiao”, he told the older.

“So...that thing with you and Xiao...is it-“ “Serious? No! Definitely not!” Wooseok interrupted his friend. Jinwook chuckled. “What?” Wooseok questioned. “Nothing. I’m just thinking about what you said a few weeks ago. You know, about Xiao never getting you into his bed”, Jinwook teased. The younger blushed. He remembered saying that. And now he was a regular in his bed.

“But I guess you must be special to him”, Jinwook said on a more serious note. “Special?” Wooseok mused. Jinwook nodded. “I mean he did stop sleeping around...and he’s never had a guy for longer than one night or maybe two if they’re lucky”, the older explained.

“Maybe he’s just tired of looking for different dudes every night...”, Wooseok mumbled. “Or maybe he likes you”, Jinwook suggested. Wooseok actually laughed at that. “Come on...this is Xiao we’re talking about! He’ll get tired of me eventually...and...”, he trailed off.

What  _if_  Xiao got tired of him? The past few weeks were pretty nice. He’d spent lots of time with Xiao, as he noticed. Okay, most of that time he’d been naked and not in his right mind but he’d started feeling like Xiao wasn’t as bad a guy as he pretended to be.

So if Xiao were to suddenly end things...he wouldn’t be happy about that. But Xiao liking him? That was more than unlikely. He didn’t act like it. He let Wooseok sleep over because of his dad but whenever he was at Wooseok’s place he practically left as soon as they were finished.

“Anyway, Xiao and I will never be serious”, Wooseok said in a finalizing tone. 

 


	8. Chapter 8

Since Wooseok’s father had gotten a little suspicious of his son spending the night at “Jinwook’s” so often he decided not to meet up with Xiao for the rest of the week.

He actually focused on his studies for a bit because even if he wasn’t aiming for first rank he still wanted to keep his grades up. He was just about to close his books and go to bed when he received a text. It was from Xiao, asking him to meet up on Saturday. It had been six days so Wooseok sent him a ‘sure’ back and got ready for bed.

~

“I’ll head over to Jinwook’s...”, Wooseok announced on Saturday evening. “Alright, make sure his parents take you home later”, Mr Kim replied. “Can’t I sleep over?” Wooseok asked his father who reluctantly looked up from his paper. “Don’t you think you’ve slept there an awful lot of times this month?”

Wooseok cursed mentally. “I feel like your studies are going to suffer from you sleeping over at other houses so often. Be home by 11”, his father said sternly. “I got a 93 on my last English test!” he argued. “Exactly! Are you not even going to try to get a 100?”

Wooseok bit back a rude answer. “Fine...11 it is...”, he said. His father would be at work later anyway so he had time until about 4am to come home.

~

“You look like you could use some fun”, Xiao stated when he opened the door of his brother’s apartment to find a pissed off Wooseok standing there. “I do...”, the older agreed. Xiao stepped aside to let him enter. “Wanna talk about it?” he questioned.

Wooseok shook his head and headed for the bedroom. “Are you sure?”  Xiao asked as he followed. “It’s just my Dad. Don’t worry about it...”, Wooseok waved off. “Whatever you say, Class President...”, Xiao replied and closed the bedroom door. 

 


	9. Chapter 9

“Damn, Class President...you must be real pissed”, Xiao stated as he let himself fall on the bed next to Wooseok. “I mean, I’m not complaining...”, the younger continued. “I’m just kinda jealous because I’ve never managed to piss you off like this.” Wooseok decided not to answer. He fished his jeans off the floor to check his phone. 10:10pm.

His eyes widened. Now he realized why his father wanted him home by 11. He didn’t have work tonight so he could check if he son would really make it on time.

“Shit, I gotta go...”, he said. Xiao gave him a questioning look. “Already? I was kinda hoping for a second round.” “My Dad’s got the night off. He’ll kill me if I’m not home by 11”, Wooseok explained as he got out of bed and started putting his clothes on.

To his surprise, Xiao got up as well. “I’ll drive you”, he offered. “I’m good”, Wooseok declined. “No, seriously. It’s the fastest way”, Xiao told him, already starting to get dressed. Wooseok figured that he would be dumb not to take up on the offer. “Okay...”, he finally gave in.

Outside, Xiao cursed and roamed around in his pockets. “I left my keys inside. I’ll be right back”, he said and hurried back inside. Wooseok couldn’t help but smile a little. Xiao was going out of his way to take him home. That had never happened before.

A cough, sounding like one caused by too much smoking, startled him and he looked up to see a man in a leather jacket leaning against a street lamp next to him. Wooseok clenched his firsts when the man started walking up to him.

It didn’t take a genius to see that this man was drunk off his ass. “Are you Xiao’s bitch? Didn’t know he was into preppy dudes...”, the man slurred. He was way too close to Wooseok’s face. The stench of alcohol, cigarette smoke and morning breath hit Wooseok’s nose.

“Do you mind...” Wooseok trailed off and took a step back but the man followed. “Ya know, you’d make a good bitch for me...I need someone feisty. And you’re much better off with a Wolf than a Viper...” Wooseok almost snorted. ‘What’s with all the animal names?’ he thought to himself.

“Now the question is, what is a Wolf doing on Viper territory?” Xiao’s voice spoke up. Wooseok let out a sigh of relief at the younger’s timing. “Just passing by”, the drunk man said. “Then get it moving. Next time I see one of your kind here I won’t be as nice”, Xiao threatened.

Wooseok noticed how the younger’s hand was on its way to the gun in his back pocket. “And I’d appreciate it if you left my date alone”, he added. “What’re ya gonna do, kid?” the drunken Wolf asked mockingly.

“Wooseok, maybe you should wait inside”, Xiao said in an unusually serious tone. He threw Wooseok the house keys without taking his eyes off the man and then he pulled out his gun. Did Wooseok just get in the middle of a gang fight?

“What are you going to do? Shoot him?” Wooseok asked. “If I have to...”, Xiao replied. “And if I do, I don’t want you around...” The drunken man raised his hands. “No need to get all pissy here! Put that thing away before you hurt somebody...”, he slurred and stumbled away.

Xiao was cautious for a few more seconds before he put the gun away and faced Wooseok. “You okay?” Wooseok nodded. “Let’s get you home, then”, the younger said and led Wooseok over to his motorcycle.

Wooseok tried not to think about the fact that Xiao could have shot this man just now. Instead, he just held on to the younger’s waist on the way home, thinking about how Xiao had practically saved him again.

Eventually, the motorcycle came to a stop and Wooseok got off. He took off the helmet and handed it to Xiao (who wasn’t wearing one because he’d given it to Wooseok). “Well...thanks for the ride”, the older said. Xiao got off the bike as well. “You’re not scared of me, right?” he asked and if Wooseok saw correctly Xiao looked a little anxious.

“No”, Wooseok answered. A short pause followed. “You called me Wooseok earlier...”, he stated. Xiao looked confused for a second, and then he chuckled. “That  _is_  your name, isn’t it?” he answered, sounding as cocky as usual. Wooseok smiled. “It is...but I don’t think I ever heard you say it.”

He decided not to bring up the part where Xiao had called him his date. Xiao grinned at him. “You should go inside, Class President. It’s 11”, he stated. Wooseok nodded in agreement but before he could turn around to leave Xiao put his hands on his shoulders and pressed a short kiss on his lips.

He pulled back just as quickly and mumbled a ‘good night’ before he put his helmet on and climbed onto his motorcycle again. Wooseok was unable to move until after Xiao had left. He had not seen this coming. Xiao never kissed him goodnight before...but he couldn’t say that he hated it. 


	10. Chapter 10

“You’re late”, his father’s stern voice burst Wooseok’s happy bubble when he passed the living room. “It’s only 11:05, Dad”, Wooseok said. He really didn’t want to put up with his father right now. Mr Kim crossed his arms over his chest.

“In this house we value punctuality!” Wooseok rolled his eyes. Mr Kim got up from his armchair and approached his son. “Did you just roll your eyes at me?” “I’m going to bed”, Wooseok said, ignoring his father’s anger. “Kim Wooseok!”

“ _What?!_ What do you want, father?” Wooseok snapped. “You’re acting up! I swear if you’re doing drugs again I-“, he cut himself off. Now the anger flared inside of Wooseok. He was sick of it; sick of his father, sick of holding back his feelings.

“I only took study drugs because of all the fucking pressure you put me under! Do you know what it feels like to constantly be pushed? Do you know how much it hurt me when I came home from school in freshman year, happily telling you about the 4th rank I got for the very first time in my life and all you said was  _‘if you studied so hard why are you only fourth and not first?’_  I studied my ass off to hear you say  _‘oh son, I’m proud of you’_  only once! But you’re never going to be proud of me because in your eyes I’m never going to be good enough!”

Wooseok furiously wiped tears off his face. He didn’t want to cry in front of his father but he just couldn’t help it at this point. “I can understand why Mom left you and I wish she’d taken me with her!” That earned him a hard slap to his face. The left side of Wooseok’s face stung like crazy but he was relieved now that he finally got everything off his chest.

“How dare you blame your stupid mistakes on me?!” Mr Kim yelled. “You’re treating other people like machines, Dad! I can’t be your perfect son just like Mom couldn’t be your perfect wife. You should accept my flaws and appreciate my talents...but if you can’t do that you’re going to lose me like you lost Mom! Your call”, Wooseok told him. He’d calmed down a little bit but he was still crying.

“Now...I’m going to bed”, he said and left his angry father behind in the living room. He didn’t slam the door but he locked it. His cheek felt warm when he touched it and it still stung like a bitch. Wooseok let out a shaky sigh and wiped his tears again before he lay down on his bed.

He thought about his mother; his strong, beautiful, angel-like mother, who had always cared about him. But not even Wooseok’s mother was strong enough to withstand her husband's constant perfectionism and bullying.

He remembered the afternoon when he came home from school and found a letter on his pillow.

Wooseok reached into his drawer and pulled out the crumpled piece of paper he’d kept in there ever since he was 13, also reading it from time to time, feeling angry, sad, hurt and abandoned. He unfolded it for the hundredth time...

He knew the words by heart but sometimes he just needed to see her handwriting. A few of the words were smudged because back then Wooseok had cried his eyes out while reading it over and over again. 

 

_My dear Wooseok_

_I’m afraid I’m going to have to leave for a while. Your father and I just don’t get along anymore and now I need some time on my own. I hope you won’t be mad at me when you read this..._

_I promise I will come back to get you once I’ve settled down._

_I love you_

_Mom_

 

Needless to say she never came to get him after all. Wooseok had waited for years until his 19th birthday last October when he’d finally given up. Where was his mother now? Was she healthy? Did she miss him?

That night, Wooseok fell asleep with thoughts of his Mom. 


	11. Chapter 11

The next day Wooseok completely ignored his father and stayed in his room all day. His Dad tried to knock once but Wooseok didn’t answer. On Monday, he left for school without a single word to his paper-reading father.

~

“Hey, everything alright?” Jinwook questioned. “No”, Wooseok answered truthfully. “Nothing’s alright...my Dad is an ass, I miss my Mom, I almost got assaulted the other day and I’m sleeping with a guy I couldn’t even stand until a few weeks ago!” he burst out. A few kids around him gave him curious looks but he didn’t care.

“What did your Dad do again?” Jinwook questioned. Wooseok sighed and filled his best friend in on what happened on Saturday. “...and I haven’t spoken to him since...”

Class had started somewhere along the middle of Wooseok’s story so he had to talk in a hushed voice. “And then that made you miss your Mom?” Jinwook asked. Wooseok nodded. “I just got reminded that she left because she couldn’t stand him anymore...and she promised to get me out of there...”, he said.

Jinwook hummed. He remembered Wooseok’s mother. She was an angel so he couldn’t understand how she could leave her own son behind with that kind of father.

“Wait...”, Jinwook remembered. “You also said something about almost getting assaulted!” Wooseok filled him in on that as well. He wondered how their teacher could just overhear the constant whispering in the second row.

“...so Xiao just pulled his gun and then he went like ‘Wooseok maybe you should wait inside’, like, he called me by my name for the first time and it was actually kinda cool but also kinda scary...”, Wooseok explained.  

Jinwook grinned at him, causing Wooseok to interrupt his story. “You know, if I didn’t know any better I’d say you’re swooning”, he whispered. Their teacher was still happily going on about whatever she was teaching, not noticing how her best student wasn’t listening at all.

“Don’t be ridiculous”, Wooseok said. “You’re blushing”, Jinwook pointed out. “Am not!” the younger argued and decided to focus on the board. Except he wasn’t focusing. His thoughts wandered back to when Xiao had kissed him yesterday.

Sure, it hadn’t been their first kiss but that one was different. It wasn’t heated or rushed but rather...sweet? And Xiao had protected him from a drunken thug...and he’d called him his date...

“Okay, okay, maybe I was swooning...”, Wooseok spoke up again. Jinwook, who had been looking at his textbook, just grinned without looking at him. Wooseok wanted to hit him for being able to read him so well. 

 


	12. Chapter 12

“Ay, Class President. I gotta talk to you”, Xiao called across the hallway just as Wooseok was about to enter the cafeteria. Somehow, Xiao managed to push through the crowd of hungry students to where Wooseok stood.

“What is it?” Wooseok questioned. Xiao grabbed his hand and dragged him away from the main crowd to a quieter part of the cafeteria. A few curious students stared at them from their tables.

Xiao looked at him. “I think we should stop our thing...”, he said. That was definitely not what Wooseok had expected. “Why?” he asked. Xiao fidgeted with his hands.

“Because...this was supposed to be casual...”, he began. He seemed like he didn’t know what to say. Wooseok had never seen Xiao so nervous. “It’s not casual to me anymore...”, he finally blurted out. Wooseok smiled when the younger actually blushed.

“What are you saying?” he questioned. Xiao’s blush deepened. “I guess I’m saying that I like you which is totally not like me...I don’t like people I just...”, he mumbled. “Sleep with them?” Wooseok helped. “Yeah...but I guess...”

“You guess?” Wooseok teased him. Xiao rolled his eyes and leaned in. Without a warning he kissed the older. It was just as sweet as last time but this time it lasted way longer.

Wooseok faintly acknowledged the shocked gasps – and even some cheers that sounded suspiciously like Jinwook – that followed Xiao’s action. He snaked his arms around Xiao’s neck as he kissed back.

“I guess I like you, too”, he said with a grin after they’d pulled back. His arms were still where he’d placed them. This seemed too much like a scene from a cliché teen movie. The bad boy and the model student.

“Good because I totally would have embarrassed myself if you didn’t”, Xiao said. “Wanna get out of here?” Wooseok chuckled. “Jinwook will kill me if I ditch now”, he answered. Xiao pouted (which was cute, thank you very much) but nodded. “Fine, then I’ll see you later”, he told the older. Wooseok nodded. Xiao gave him a cocky grin, followed by a peck on the cheek before he left the cafeteria.

Wooseok was followed by stares when he went over to the lunch table Jinwook, Gyujin and Hwanhee sat at. He couldn’t read Hwanhee’s expression as he sat down across from him but Jinwook and Gyujin were smirking.

Jinwook cleared his throat. “I quote: ‘Xiao and I will never be serious’, you’re full of bullshit, you know that?” he joked. Gyujin laughed. “How’d you do it, though? Xiao’s never been like this before.” Wooseok blushed at his friends’ interest in his dating life.

“I...we just...”, he stammered. “Started fucking?” Hwanhee finally spoke up. He did not look amused and his tone sounded bitter. “Well, don’t expect too much from him. He’ll dump you once he finds someone else to use”, he said.

“Hwanhee...” Wooseok started but the younger got up from his seat and walked away without further words. Wooseok suddenly felt awful. Hwanhee really must have liked Xiao. “He’ll come around...”, Jinwook assured him.

“Are you sure about that? He’s pretty upset...”, Wooseok asked, looking at the door Hwanhee had just disappeared through. Jinwook sighed. “I’m sure he just needs some time”, he said.

~

Wooseok left the school building, ready to go home when he heard the engine of a motorbike. He turned around just when Xiao stopped right next to him. “Need a ride?” he asked with a grin on his face. “Do you ever wear your helmet?” Wooseok half-scolded him.

Xiao grinned. “You wear it...”, he said and tossed his helmet over to Wooseok. “What if you get into an accident?” “I’ll be fine. I know how to drive this thing”, Xiao assured him. Wooseok was a little hesitant but he put the helmet on and got onto the motorbike behind Xiao. 

 


	13. Chapter 13

They headed to a burger place to grab a bite to eat. Wooseok tried not to blush when Xiao paid for his meal. It was like he was completely switched out. He wasn't used to the younger being sweet to him. He had to admit that it was nice to be treated like this.

Afterwards they went to Xiao's place. Wooseok had only ever been to Kogyeol's apartment and never to Xiao's actual residence. He stared at the house in front of him.

"You live _here_?!" he asked. 'Here' was a huge, three-story mansion with a gate leading over a long paved driveway to the front door. It was humongous!

Xiao only shrugged and proceeded to lead Wooseok inside. "I'm not here very often", he said. The older wanted to ask why but he was distracted by the fancy lobby and the carpeted staircases - one on the right, the other on the left of the hall that led up to the next floor.

A tiny, brunette woman stormed towards them and engulfed Xiao in a bone-crushing hug. "Dongyeol! Why are you never answering your phone? Do you know how worried I was? Where is your brother? Have you heard of him? Is he alright? Are you alright?"

Xiao gently grabbed her shoulders and looked at her. "Slow down, Mom. I got a new phone and I've been staying at hyung's apartment...he's fine, just busy", he answered. "You could have called!" she said accusingly.

"I'm sorry", Xiao apologized. The woman looked at Wooseok, noticing him for the first time. "Are you also a part of that rotten gang?" she asked with so much venom in her voice that Wooseok couldn't even answer.

"Mom! That's Wooseok, he's a year above me, class president and not a member. Besides, we're not rotten!" Xiao answered for him. "You're not. But I'm not sure about your so-called friends! Are you still carrying a gun around?" she questioned.

"Not right now", Xiao said with a shrug. His mother gave him a stern look. "If you ever use that thing I will kill you before the police get the chance to lock you up! You know how I feel about you being in that horrible gang your brother surrounds himself with!"

Xiao didn't seem to take her threats seriously. "I just wanted to get some clothes. We'll be gone in a minute", he told her. Wooseok thought that they would probably need at least 10 minutes alone to even get to Xiao's room.

"Fine...but show your face here more often! And stop driving that motorcycle, those things are dangerous!" his mother shouted after him. Xiao only answered with a mumbled "yeah, yeah" and dragged Wooseok along by his hand. "Sorry, 'bout her", he said.

"It's fine...", Wooseok answered. He couldn't remember the last time his own mother had cared for him like Xiao's mother did for her son... "You okay?" Xiao asked. Wooseok nodded. "Yeah, I was just thinking about something", he answered.

Xiao's room turned out to be on the top floor at the very end of a long corridor. The room was almost as big as Wooseok's entire apartment. He never would have thought that Xiao lived like this.

"Just make yourself comfortable. I'm gonna pack some things and then we're outta here", Xiao said. Wooseok sat down on the younger's soft double king size bed while Xiao was already packing things from his closet into a bag.

"Why don't you spend time here more often?" Wooseok finally asked. "'Cause it's boring. Besides, my family likes to control me...", Xiao replied absent-mindedly. "But isn't it more convenient to be rich?" The younger looked at him.

"I'm not rich, my parents are. And if you knew my Dad you'd want to leave too...", he said. "What's he like?" the older asked. Xiao sighed as he continued packing. Wooseok started to think he wasn't going to give him an answer at all when he suddenly spoke up.

"He's an ass, married to his work, always tried to talk me and my brother into taking over his company. Kogyeol got out of here as soon as he could and I followed last year. The only reason I still come here once in a while is to show my Mom I'm still alive. This place is hell...", he explained in a finalizing tone. Wooseok decided not to ask further questions.

"Alright, I'm all packed. Let's go...", Xiao said. Wooseok, who'd gotten comfortable on the younger's bed by lying down, groaned. "It's so soft, though...", he complained. Xiao chuckled and put his bag down.

He walked over to Wooseok and joined him on the bed, hovering above him. "Wanna do some damage to it?" he asked with a grin on his face. Wooseok grinned back and pulled the younger down for a kiss.

 


	14. Chapter 14

After leaving Xiao’s house an hour later (luckily, without his Mom asking questions about what took them so long) they decided to walk around town for a bit. Wooseok dragged Xiao into the first motor supply store he could find to buy a second helmet. He was worried sick whenever Xiao got onto his motorcycle without wearing one because he gave his to Wooseok.

“I really don’t think that-“ “I don’t care what you think, you’re either going to buy this helmet or I’m never going to ride that thing again!” Wooseok interrupted him. “Are we still talking about my bike?” Xiao asked with a cheeky grin. Wooseok hit his chest slightly and fake-glared at him. Xiao laughed. “Fine, fine, I’ll buy it...”, he gave in.

After Xiao bought the helmet he took Wooseok home since his father would probably get mad if he stayed out too late. The sun was already setting when Xiao came to a stop in front of the older’s house.

“I’ll see you tomorrow then?” Wooseok half-asked. Xiao made a face. “I’ll be busy tomorrow so I probably won’t come to school...”, he said. “Alright...”, Wooseok answered, ready to head inside.

“I’ll come by tomorrow night if you want me to”, Xiao called after him. Wooseok turned around again, a faint smile playing on his lips. “I’ll leave the window open.”

~

“Did I just see you get off of a motorbike?” Mr Kim greeted his son when he entered the apartment. He must have seen Wooseok come home from the kitchen window. Wooseok was glad that he didn’t kiss Xiao goodbye; otherwise he would have had to explain a lot to his father since he never bothered to come out to him.

“Good evening to you too, Dad. Yes, my day was great. Thanks for asking”, Wooseok said sarcastically. “Kim Wooseok!” his father yelled. “Calm down, a classmate took me home on his motorbike. I wore a helmet. No need to freak out”, Wooseok said, rolling his eyes. “I really don’t like the person you’re becoming”, Mr Kim said.

Wooseok couldn’t hold back the exasperated huff. “You don’t like the person  _I_  am becoming? I guess you didn’t listen at all the other night but what’s new, right?!”

A second later Wooseok held his left cheek when his father slapped him again. “Watch your tone! I’m still your father!” Mr Kim growled. “You’re slacking off at school, you’re coming home late, you’re riding motorbikes and now you’re disrespecting me? I will not tolerate this kind of behavior in my house!”

 _Slacking off_? Fifth place out of 340 was slacking off? Wooseok couldn’t believe his ears. He glared at his Dad before he turned on his heel and stormed out the front door.

“Where are you going!?” his father called after him. “Out!” Wooseok yelled and slammed the door, storming down the set of stairs of the indoor stair hall. He wasn’t going to cry again! He wouldn’t let his father get to him like that!

~

“Wooseok, what’s going on?” a shirtless Jinwook questioned about half an hour later. The older was barefoot and only dressed in a pair of sweatpants which hung low on his hips. “I’m sorry...I was going to ask if I could stay here tonight but I seem to be interrupting something...”, Wooseok said.

He could tell by Jinwook’s messed up hair, his slightly swollen, reddened lips and the hickeys on his neck and collarbone (and above his waistline...) that he wasn’t alone right now. He wasn’t too flustered by the sight because it wasn’t anything he hadn’t seen on (or done to) his best friend before but that was a story for a different night.

“No, I-“, Jinwook began. “It’s alright...I’ll just go somewhere else...”, Wooseok cut him off. He took off before Jinwook could say anything in return. He didn’t even know that Jinwook was seeing someone. Why didn’t he ever mention it?

He shrugged it off for now. He’d tried calling Xiao but he wasn’t picking up. Besides, he didn’t want to seem clingy. He didn’t feel like going back home. His relationship with his father had reached a new low. Before Wooseok could stop himself the tears he’d tried so hard to hold back were flowing over his face.

He’d reached Hangang Park by now. A few couples were taking walks or gazing at the stars but Wooseok didn’t pay them any mind. He found a lonely place and a park bench where he sat down and finally allowed himself to break down.

Wooseok didn’t know how long he’d been crying when suddenly a hand came down on his shoulder from behind and a voice spoke up. “Hey...”


	15. Chapter 15

Wooseok jumped to his feet at the sudden touch. He spun around, ready to fight whoever was trying to mess with him tonight, but found himself looking into the eyes of...

“Jinwook! You scared me half to death!” Wooseok relaxed and sat down again. Jinwook took a seat next to him. He'd put on a hoodie and slippers in addition to his sweatpants. “Sorry, I didn’t mean to. I followed you here after you left so quickly...”, he explained.

Wooseok lowered his head and let his shoulders sack. Jinwook put an arm around them. “Wanna tell me what happened?” he asked his best friend. Wooseok let out a shaky sigh. “Same as always, I guess. I fought with my Dad...I just can’t take it anymore...he doesn’t understand me at all...”, he complained. “And on top of that his slapped me again. For the second time within, like, a week...”

Jinwook looked at him with widened eyes. “He did what now?” “I  _did_  talk back at him...-“ “Still! He’s not supposed to hit you!” Jinwook exclaimed. Wooseok shrugged. He didn’t feel like talking about his Dad anymore.

“Anyway...who were you having fun with tonight?” he asked his friend who didn’t meet his eyes. “Nobody...”, he mumbled. Wooseok chuckled and poked one of the hickeys that were visible on Jinwook’s neck.

“So you got this from nobody?” he questioned. Jinwook flushed and covered the mark with his hand. “It was just someone I picked up at a party the other night...he left so you can stay over at my place”, he explained. Wooseok didn’t have any desire to sleep on a park bench tonight so he nodded and followed Jinwook home.

He still kind of wanted to know who Jinwook had been hanging out with. He seemed to be so infatuated with Kogyeol that Wooseok wouldn’t have thought that Jinwook would just hook up with random dudes he met at parties.

~

Wooseok was ripped out of his dreams by his alarm the next morning. He rolled to the side only to find that his best friend had hogged the entire blanket. Asshole.

Jinwook didn’t wake up from a mere alarm so Wooseok had to shake him until he groaned and sat up. “I’ll just skip today...”, he grumbled and fell, face-first into the pillows. “You’re not skipping! I don’t want to go to school alone...”, Wooseok said with a pouty face. Jinwook groaned again, this time it sounded muffled by the pillows.

“Come on...”, Wooseok pleaded. Jinwook turned his head to the side to look at his friend (and because he was starting to suffocate with his face buried in the pillow).

“Why don’t you skip, too? I’m sure Xiao’s down for hanging out...” Wooseok pouted. “He’s busy...”, he told the older. Jinwook sighed dramatically. “Alright, fine! I’ll get up...”

~

Wooseok and Jinwook were just sitting down at their usual table during lunch period when Hwanhee entered the cafeteria. Jinwook waved him over but Hwanhee just regarded Wooseok with a cold look before he went to sit with Gyujin.

“Those two have been hanging out an awful lot lately”, Jinwook stated. Wooseok nodded and looked over to the table Hwanhee now sat at. He met eyes with Gyujin who shot him an apologetic look. Wooseok answered with a shrug and a half-smile before looking at Jinwook again.

“Hwanhee hates me...”, he said. Jinwook waved off. “I told you he just needs time. You should try talking to him, though”, the older advised. “And what do I say? _Sorry I’m dating Xiao but I can’t help it that I like him?_ I’m not sorry, though. He’s more than what he lets on”, Wooseok replied.  

“You could say that...if you want him to punch you in the face”, Jinwook laughed. Wooseok gave him a look. “Alright, alright...just, I don’t know...just tell him something.”

That was very helpful, Wooseok thought. He got up and walked over to Gyujin’s and Hwanhee’s table. “And then I told Yein that- ...oh hi, Wooseok”, Gyujin greeted him. “Hey...uh, Hwanhee, can we talk?” The younger didn’t look at him and stubbornly picked around in his food. “I have nothing to say to you”, he said. Wooseok rolled his eyes and slid into the seat next to him.

“Then listen: I’m sorry if I hurt your feelings”, Wooseok began. Hwanhee huffed. “It’s not my feelings you should be concerned about...”, he said. “I know that you and Xiao have a history...but you can’t blame me for what happened between you two. I won’t apologize to you for liking him”, Wooseok clarified.

Hwanhee glared at him. “Then how about you go hang out with your oh-so-wonderful boyfriend and leave me the hell alone!” Wooseok’s face hardened, his own stubbornness kicking in. Fine, if Hwanhee didn’t want to accept his apology...

“Fuck you, then. I tried”, Wooseok said. “You know, maybe you should try getting laid. It might help you get over your pathetic little crush on my boyfriend!” He didn’t want to go there but Hwanhee’s attitude made him angry and he wasn’t exactly known to be rational when he was angry.

Now, before he knew it they were on the ground, throwing punches at each other’s faces. Hwanhee had jumped forward and tackled Wooseok after the remark. Gyujin and Jinwook reacted quickly, trying to break them apart.

“Kim Wooseok! Lee Hwanhee!” an authoritative voice made all four of them freeze. The vice principal stood only a few meters away, looking extremely pissed. “To the Principal’s office. Now!” 

 


	16. Chapter 16

“Told you he’d punch you in the face”, Jinwook smartassed when Wooseok came into the classroom after getting an earful from the principal. “Shut up...”, Wooseok said half-heartedly. Jinwook chuckled.

“So? Detention, I guess?” Wooseok shook his head. “Just a ‘letter of reflection’...”, he told him. “Then what are you so bummed about?” Jinwook questioned.

“They called my father. I’m so going to get murdered when I get home...”, the younger replied. He was pressing an ice pack to the side of his face just beneath his eye. “Shit...” Jinwook cursed under his breath. “You can say that again...”, Wooseok agreed.

~

As expected, Mr Kim was anything but happy when Wooseok came home from school. “Save it, Dad. I know I messed up”, Wooseok said. His father raised his eyebrows. “Messed up? You’re getting out of control! You disappeared all night and now the school calls me about a fight? Is this all related to that motorcycle guy?”

It kind of was related to Xiao but he wasn’t going to let his father know that. “No, it isn’t”, he lied instead. "It was harmless. Hwanhee’s my friend. Friends fight...”, he said. “Like this?” his father shot back. “It happens, Dad. I’ll go to my room. I have to study...”, Wooseok lied. No way was he going to study tonight. He’d be waiting for Xiao to show up. He hadn’t realized how much he missed him when he didn’t see him at school.  

“Damn right, you do! I have to go to work but rest assured, this isn’t over!” Mr Kim warned him.

~

Wooseok sat on his bed, back leaning against the wall and a book on his lap, when Xiao climbed through his window. Wooseok closed his book and put it aside.

Xiao smiled at him and said: “Hey” but froze when he saw the bruise on Wooseok’s cheek. “What happened to you?” he questioned. “Nothing”, the older waved off. Xiao came over and sat down on the bed across from Wooseok, inspecting his face.

“Nothing, my ass! Who hit you?” he demanded. There was something in his tone that almost made Wooseok fear for Hwanhee’s life. He took Xiao's hand which was holding his chin and entwined their fingers.

“Don’t freak out. It’s nothing...Hwanhee and I got into a fight at school”, Wooseok said in a dismissive tone. Xiao raised both his eyebrows. “Hwanhee? I thought he was your friend.”

“He is...it’s just...I really think he still likes you...and also, he’s worried that you’re...-“ Wooseok cut himself off but Xiao had caught on already. “He’s worried that I’m just playing?” Wooseok didn’t meet his eyes as he nodded.

“Do you think I’m playing with you?” Xiao asked. “No...”, the older replied. “Good because I’m not. Not this time...” The unusual seriousness in Xiao’s voice made Wooseok look at him.  

Xiao leaned forward and pressed a soft peck onto Wooseok’s bruised cheek. He stayed close to his face when he spoke up again: “Seriously, Class President. The one time I’m not at school and you get into a fight...”, the cheeky tone was back but Wooseok didn’t pay it too much mind. Instead, he just pulled Xiao closer by his shirt and kissed him. 

 


	17. Chapter 17

A few hours later they were wrapped up in Wooseok's blankets, half-asleep. This, as Wooseok noticed, was the first time Xiao stayed to cuddle. It was new but he definitely liked it.

"There's something I've been curious about", Xiao spoke after several minutes of comfortable silence. "What is it?" Wooseok asked. Xiao took a few seconds to answer. It seemed like he wasn't quite sure how to start.

"Uh...you know how I overheard that one conversation between you and your Dad the other day...", he trailed off. Wooseok hummed. "About the study drugs?" Xiao nodded.

"Well...I can't really say that I'm proud of it...I did it because I was under so much pressure last year. My Dad wanted me to ace everything and rank first so I tried everything to get there...I got the pills from a college dealer and I got addicted to them pretty fast...", Wooseok explained.

"I never told anyone about this. The only people who know are my Dad, who found out and Jinwook who caught me and got hurt because of me...and now you..."

Xiao snaked an arm around Wooseok's waist and pulled him closer. "I won't tell anyone...", he assured Wooseok. He'd never really been trusted with anything outside the gang so he was pretty happy that Wooseok trusted him with such a big secret.

"But...how did Jinwook get hurt?" Wooseok felt a lump build inside his throat. This was something he really didn't like to think about. "I don't know if you saw but he had a broken arm last year..." Xiao nodded. He faintly remembered Jinwook walking around with a cast on his arm right before summer break. "That was my fault..."

**_-Flashback-_ **

_"Wooseok!" Jinwook exclaimed. Wooseok dropped the small box he was holding when he heard his best friend's voice coming from the door to his room. Small orange pills rolled all over the floor. Jinwook picked one up and studied it._

_"Adderall...you're taking study drugs?" he asked in a shocked tone of voice. Wooseok rubbed his temples. He had a headache that was killing him and he still had a few hours of studying to do. He didn't manage to rank first this year so he had to put in all the effort for senior year._

_"Jinwook, I really don't have time for this right now...", he said. "I don't give a shit if you have time or not! For the past few weeks I've been trying to figure out what's going on with you! You've been moody and you've lost weight because you barely ate anything!" Wooseok rolled his eyes. "I'm fine. I just have a lot to do. Which is why you should leave now!" he snapped._

_"This has gone too far, Kim Wooseok! I can't let you ruin yourself like this!" Jinwook said. Wooseok didn't listen. He got up from his desk chair and gathered his books, frantically shoving them into his bag._

_"If you're not going to leave, I will", he said and pushed past Jinwook. He was already out the front door but before he could reach the internal staircase he got held back._

_"Let go of me, Jinwook!" Wooseok yelled, his voice echoed in the big staircase hall. "This isn't you! You're ruining yourself by trying to live up to your father's expectations, even taking drugs now. Wake up, Wooseok!" the older shouted. Wooseok turned around to face him._

_"I don't need you to lecture me! This is my life and unlike you I care about my grades!" he exclaimed. He wanted to go back inside and lock the door but Jinwook held him back before he could reach for the handle._

_"I said LET. GO!" Wooseok yelled and pushed his friend off with force. Jinwook tripped and fell backwards. Wooseok's eyes widened in horror as he watched his best friend fall down the set of stairs._

_Jinwook didn't get up...why wasn't he getting up? He couldn't possibly be..._

_Before Wooseok could do anything his vision blurred. The last thing he noticed before everything went black was the main door downstairs opening and a shocked gasp that sounded like it came from his father._

**_-Flashback end-_ **

"My Dad found us like that and called the ambulance", Wooseok told Xiao. The memory brought tears to his eyes. Even months later he hadn't 100% forgiven himself for causing his best friend to get hurt.

"For a moment I really thought that he was dead...", he trailed off. Xiao didn't know what to say so he just comforted the older silently by hugging him a little closer. "I thought he'd hate me forever...but he forgave me."


	18. Chapter 18

**_-Flashback-_ **

_When Wooseok woke up he found himself looking right at a very worried Jinwook. "You're okay...", he croaked out. His throat hurt like crazy. Jinwook gave him a weak smile. "I'm fine. I have a small concussion and my arm's broken but that's no big deal", he answered. "As for you, though...you're not fine, Wooseok. Your father said that the doctors told him that they even had to pump your stomach!"_

_Wooseok looked away. "I'm sorry...", he said. "Don't apologize to me. Get help", Jinwook advised him. He reached out for Wooseok's arm and gave it a light squeeze._

_"Shouldn't you be hating me right now?" Wooseok asked him. Jinwook took a seat on the edge of his bed. "You know that I could never hate you. And I know that you need help. Things just got out of control. If anything I feel sorry for not realizing what's been going on with you", he said._

_Wooseok sat up. "You shouldn't! Do not blame yourself for my stupidity! This is completely on me! I cracked under all the pressure...I didn't know what to do anymore...", he explained. Jinwook gave him a careful, one-armed hug. "Just promise me that you'll get help...", he mumbled. Wooseok's hands clawed into the back of Jinwook's shirt, relieved that his friend was okay and didn't hate him. "I promise..."_

_They stayed like this for a while until the door opened and Wooseok's father entered the room. "Jinwook, would you wait outside, please? I called your parents. They're on the way", he said, his expression unreadable. Jinwook got up and shot Wooseok one last encouraging look before he left the room._

_"What were you thinking? Drugs?! Do you want to ruin your future forever?" Mr Kim ranted as soon as the door had closed behind Jinwook. No 'are you alright'; no 'how are you feeling'. Wooseok knew that he'd fucked up but did his father really not care about his well-being at all? He decided not to say anything and just let the man yell at him._

**_-Flashback end-_ **

"I joined a rehab program and spent the summer there. It really helped me get better but it also showed me that I became a person I didn't want to be only because my Dad wanted me to be perfect", Wooseok finished his story.

"Wow..." was all Xiao could say. He never would have imagined that Wooseok had been through so much already. "Yeah...but I'm done now. I'll do my best at school without pushing myself too hard...", Wooseok said.

"Have you ever done drugs?" he asked the younger who shook his head. "Nah, I'm not even allowed in on the deals. My brother's a little...overprotective when it comes to drugs. I don't really mind, though. I get to help with the guns instead", Xiao explained.

"Damn, this whole gang thing is for real, huh...", Wooseok mumbled. "Yeah...but don't worry. I won't let anything happen to you. I'll keep you off the other gangs' radar...especially those damn Wolves...", Xiao promised. That wasn't what Wooseok was worried about, though.

"What if you get shot?" he asked. Xiao chuckled. "I'll be fine. I know how to use a gun too, so I'm not helpless", he assured the older. Wooseok didn't look convinced. "I promise that you have absolutely nothing to worry about", Xiao emphasized and kissed Wooseok's cheek.

"Fine...I'll hold you to that promise..."


	19. Chapter 19

Wooseok spent the next few days avoiding his father at all cost. He went to school in the morning and spent his evenings with Xiao or Jinwook, sometimes even with Gyujin. He missed Hwanhee, though. He'd tried calling him a few times or talking to him on the school hallways but the younger still gave him the cold shoulder.

Another thing Wooseok had to deal with was the constant whispering and all the stares in his direction which had started when he began dating Xiao. He figured that after three weeks it should have died down but no luck. He was doing a decent job, ignoring them but it still annoyed him. He even got a few "be careful"s from guys Xiao had apparently slept with in the past.

"Seriously, is there a single guy at our school you haven't slept with?!" Wooseok asked Xiao one day after school when they were out for ice cream. Xiao laughed. "Yeah, the straight ones...even though there was that one guy who claimed to be straight...", he trailed off. Wooseok hit his thigh, though not really with much strength. "You're unbelievable! Wait...you kept your hands off our teachers, right?"

Xiao avoided his gaze and took a spoonful of strawberry ice cream to his mouth. Wooseok took that as a clear answer. "Oh my god...which one?" he questioned. Xiao mumbled something incoherent, still not meeting Wooseok's gaze.

"Lee Dongyeol!" Wooseok half-threatened. That made Xiao look at him again. His face spread into a grin. "You know, it's kinda hot when you use my full name", he stated. Wooseok playfully hit his thigh again. "Tell me!" Xiao rolled his eyes. "Who's your history teacher?" he asked.

"Teacher Cha, why?" Xiao gave him a self-explanatory look. "HIM!? You're kidding!" Wooseok exclaimed. The younger shook his head. "In my defense, I didn't know he was a teacher when I met him. He came to our school at the beginning of the school year. We hooked up the summer before", Xiao explained.

Wooseok snorted in amusement. He should probably be pissed off but he wasn't. "I'm dating a hoe", he said. Xiao fake-pouted. "Why would you want to know that anyway?" he questioned. "Ah, forget it...I'm just tired of people telling me to watch out...", Wooseok said. "Ignore them."

"I'm trying but it pisses me off. They should just mind their own damn business...", Wooseok replied. Xiao leaned over to him. "You're hot when you're pissed", he said. Wooseok laughed. "Shut up...", he replied and slapped Xiao's thigh for the third time.

Xiao laughed along. It was refreshing to just hang out with the other. Sure, he loved the sex but he thought that whole 'relationship stuff' was nice too. He never would have thought that Kim Wooseok, of all people, would end up being his first real boyfriend.

"Hey, do you want to come along to Kogyeol's place later? The gang's meeting up...we could do something afterwards", Xiao suggested. Wooseok looked at him. "You want me to meet the gang? Isn't that against your top secret rules or something?"

Xiao actually laughed out loud at that. "If there was such a thing we'd be like the mafia and you wouldn't even know that I was in a gang. The whole school practically knows...then again, not all the members are as open about it as I am...", he trailed off.

Suddenly, his eyes widened dramatically and he put a hand on his chest. "I think I'm gonna have to kill you now", he said in a lowered voice. Wooseok pouted at Xiao making fun of him. He was about to slap the younger's thigh once again but Xiao was faster this time. He caught Wooseok's wrist mid-air and used it to pull him closer and kiss him.

"You're an ass...", Wooseok mumbled when they pulled apart. Xiao shrugged. "Yeah, what's new? You are what you eat, right?" he said cheekily. Wooseok rolled his eyes and shoved the younger playfully.

"Unbelievable...", he mumbled, unable to hold back his grin. Xiao chuckled and took Wooseok's hand. "Come on, I'll introduce you to the guys", he said and pulled Wooseok up to his feet along with him.


	20. Chapter 20

Wooseok had to admit that he was a little nervous. He was about to enter the pit of vipers! 'Ha ha...very funny, Kim Wooseok!' He'd been to Kogyeol's apartment multiple times...but it was always just him and Xiao.

The younger led him inside like he had so many times but this time he went for the kitchen. A tall, handsome red-head leaned on the kitchen isle, talking to a just as tall, raved-haired guy.

He knew the red-head even though he'd never spoken to him before. That was Kogyeol, Xiao's older brother and the leader of the Vipers. He wore jeans and a black T-Shirt that gave a nice contrast to his pale skin and the red hair. It also made his arms look deliciously muscular. He was hot to say the least. Not quite Wooseok's type but he couldn't deny that his best friend had taste.

Kogyeol and the other guy looked up when Xiao and Wooseok entered the kitchen. "Hey, you brought a guest?" the leader asked, eyeing Wooseok suspiciously. Okay, shit. He was hot  _and_  intimidating. As expected of a gang leader, Wooseok thought. "Not a guest!" Xiao said. Wooseok figured that 'guest' must be some sort of code word for someone who was anything but welcome here.

"This is Wooseok, my boyfriend", Xiao clarified. " _You_ got a boyfriend?" the black-haired guy asked in disbelief. "Yeah, unlike you...anyway, Wooseok this is my brother Kogyeol and his  _ex_  Kuhn", he emphasized the word ex with a challenging look in Kuhn's direction.

Kuhn just shrugged. "Be careful with this one", he addressed Wooseok, referring to Xiao. "I wish everyone would stop saying that", Wooseok replied. Kogyeol chuckled. He actually looked like a pretty nice guy once he stopped glaring at him susupiciously (and Wooseok had to admit to himself again that the good looks were definitely running in the family).

"Well, you're welcome to stay as long as you like. Knowing my brother you probably already know your way around", Kogyeol said. Wooseok blushed at the older's words but at the same time he was surprised by how soft Kogyeol's voice sounded when he spoke.

"Alright, alright. You're embarrassing him. We're out of here", Xiao said and dragged Wooseok out of the kitchen and into the living room. The first thing he noticed was the pile of pistols on the wooden couch table. Three guys sat in the arm chairs around it.

"Man, I'm telling you the guy had absolutely no idea what he was selling!" a blacking-haired guy with a very low voice said to a tall, lanky one with dark brown, quiffed hair. The third guy had a laptop on his lap and was busy typing away. Wooseok couldn't see his face since he sat there with his bsck facing them. The lanky guy noticed them. "Oh, hey Xiao", he said. The other two looked in their direction and Wooseok locked eyes with the laptop guy.

However, he did not expect to see the all too familiar face of...

" _Jinwook?!_ " he exclaimed. The other two guys exchanged looks and looked like they were debating whether to pull their guns. "Easy guys, I know him", Jinwook said to them. He put his laptop on the floor and walked over to Wooseok. "Hey...", he said sheepishly.

"You're a part of the gang?" Wooseok questioned disbelievingly. Jinwook gave Xiao a disapproving look. "You could have at least prepared him if you were bringing him here", he said accusingly. Wooseok looked up at his boyfriend. "You knew and didn't tell me?" he asked.

The older grabbed his upper arms. "I'm sorry, okay? It hasn't been that long since I joined. It just happened. Besides, I'm not even an official member. I'm like...I don't know, the secret hacker. I would've told you but nobody's supposed to know that I work for them...", Jinwook explained. "Don't be mad at me, okay?" he half-pleaded.

"I'm not mad...just surprised? I didn't really see that coming...", Wooseok said. "Neither did I, actually. Imagine my face when my brother suddenly 'introduced' me to his new boyfriend and hacker", Xiao spoke up.

"Wait, you and Kogyeol? How? When? You sneaky rat didn't even tell me!" Wooseok complained. Jinwook laughed, knowing that his friend wasn't seriously mad at him. "I'll tell you everything later", he promised. The other two guys cleared their throats.

"Right, sorry, these two are Wei and Bit-to. And my pseudonym here is Jinhoo, just so you know", Jinwook explained. Wooseok nodded in their direction. "Guys, this is my best friend and Xiao's boyfriend Wooseok", Jinwook told them.

"Wait, so that thing about Xiao having a boyfriend wasn't a joke?" Bit-to, the low-voiced one, asked, seeming genuinely confused. Wei laughed at him. "You owe me 10 bucks, bro", he deadpanned. Xiao sighed when Bit-to reluctantly reached into his pocket and handed the other the money.

"Idiots...", he mumbled under his breath. Wooseok chuckled. He had imagined the Vipers as this completely intimidating organization but they seemed like just a bunch of friends hanging out. Wooseok immediately liked them.

"Were those all the members?" he questioned. Xiao nodded. "We've been a little short on people since an...incident last year...", he said. Wooseok wasn't sure he wanted to know what exactly Xiao meant by that so he decided not to ask.

"We're doing just fine, though, even with only six of us", he said. He didn't sound 100% sure about that, though.


	21. Chapter 21

Kogyeol and Kuhn entered the living room. Kuhn sat down on Bit-to’s armrest while Kogyeol occupied Jinwook’s previous seat. Jinwook just sat down on the floor, leaning against his boyfriend’s legs. Wooseok had to admit that they looked pretty cute together.

Xiao led him over to the last free armchair and let him sit there while he sat on the armrest. Kogyeol spoke up. “Alright, guys...you all know Park Minhwan, right?” he asked. He didn’t sound very enthusiastic. The other grumbled in acknowledgement.

“He wants to buy from us. He said his last shipment didn’t arrive on time but it’s pretty urgent. We’d be able to provide before his shipment arrives...”, Kuhn explained. Wooseok had only heard of Park Minhwan. The guy was a dangerous business man slash underground gun dealer.

He was also rumored to kill people on the spot if he wasn’t satisfied with the product or the service (or just your face, really...). In short, he wasn’t somebody to mess with.

“I want in”, Xiao spoke up. “No”, Kogyeol and Wooseok replied at the same time. “Forget it, little brother, this is serious”, Kogyeol warned. “Everything we do is serious! I’m not a child, Kogyeol!” Xiao argued.

Kogyeol looked unimpressed. “You’re 18 and my little brother! Besides, last time I checked I was still the leader so you do what I say and I say you’re staying out of this!” Xiao huffed but stayed silent.

Kogyeol continued speaking: “The deal’s in three weeks. It’s the earliest we can do and he agreed. I was thinking Bit-to and Kuhn should handle it.” Bit-to and Kuhn nodded in agreement. They looked dead serious now, their playfulness from earlier had vanished completely. Wooseok took a glance at Xiao who still looked pissed.

He fully agreed with Kogyeol, though. Maybe the older had only forbidden him to go because Xiao was his little brother but he had a point. Xiao was only 18; too young to be handling dangerous guys like Park Minhwan. 

 


	22. Chapter 22

"Are you mad at me?" Wooseok asked when he and Xiao stood on the balcony of Kogyeol's apartment. The younger wasn't looking at him while quietly smoking a cigarette.

"No", came his cold answer. "You sound like you're mad at me, though", Wooseok insisted. Xiao blew smoke from his mouth before finally looking at him. "I just don't like being treated like a child. You were totally backing up my brother", he said.

"Well, excuse me for being worried about you", Wooseok defended himself. "I can handle this! I'm not an amateur!" Xiao almost yelled. "Too bad you're not going!" the older shot back in the same volume. Is this what he got for looking out for his boyfriend?

"You know what, I'll just go home...", he said. He didn't want to fight with Xiao so he figured that it was better to back off for now. He stepped back inside the living room where Jinwook and Kogyeol were having a hushed conversation.

They stopped talking when they noticed Wooseok coming inside. "Hey, I'll head home", he told them. Jinwook got up as well. "You okay?" he asked. Wooseok nodded. "Is my brother being an ass again?" Kogyeol asked kind of sympathetically. Wooseok shrugged.

"I'll drive you two home", Kogyeol stated and got up too. "No, it's fine, I'll take the subway", Wooseok declined. "It's 10 minutes to the next station and this neighborhood isn't really known to be safe", Jinwook pointed out. "Besides, you're staying at my place tonight. That's not up for discussion."

Wooseok didn't have the willpower to argue. For now, he just wanted to get out of here so he nodded and followed Kogyeol and Jinwook to a black SUV which was parked outside.

The first few minutes of the drive were silent until Kogyeol spoke up. "You seemed to know pretty well who Park Minhwan is...judging from how you were against Xiao going." Wooseok, who sat in the back seat, looked down at his lap. "I just heard some things about him...and it's not like Xiao would listen to me anyway...", he answered.

"He can be stubborn sometimes but he's not a bad guy even if he says otherwise", Kogyeol told him. "This whole attitude of his is just...I don't know, a façade? He hates being treated like a kid so he wants to appear confident in front of people who are older than him and earn himself respect." Wooseok decided not to say anything to that. "Is he really as good with guns as he says he is?" he questioned instead.

"The best. I was sceptical about letting him join but he proved himself. I can understand where he's coming from but I don't want him in on this deal...", Kogyeol explained.

They arrived in front of Jinwook's house. "I'll see you tomorrow", Jinwook said to Kogyeol. He leaned over in his seat to kiss him goodbye. "Yeah, take care, okay?" Kogyeol said quietly, staring intently at Jinwook. "Don't worry about me. I'll be fine", the younger assured him. He quickly pecked his boyfriend's lips again and opened the car door.

"Thanks for the ride", Wooseok said to Kogyeol and followed his best friend out of the car.

~

"So, did you and Xiao fight?" Jinwook questioned when they were settled on his bed with bowls of snacks and cans of coke. Wooseok shrugged. "I'm not sure...kinda. He was pissed because I was against him putting himself in danger. I left before we could full-on fight, though..." Jinwook hummed in thought.

"Let's talk about something else...", Wooseok said. Jinwook met his eyes, already knowing where this was going. "How on earth did you and Kogyeol happen? And when?" Wooseok questioned. Jinwook couldn't hide the huge smile on his face.

"Well...I ran into him by chance actually. I was on my way home after visiting my sister but the chain of my bike broke. He happened to pass by. He saw my school uniform and recognized it so he offered me a ride. At first, I was kinda wary because even though I liked him I knew about him being the leader of the Vipers...but then I thought fuck it, a hot guy's offering you a ride so go for it...", Jinwook explained.

Wooseok chuckled. That did sound like his best friend. "He took me home and he even waited and made sure that I got inside safely...", the older swooned. "The next time I visited my sister we happened to meet at the campus coffee shop...he bought me coffee and asked me how old I was and I'm telling you he was so relieved when I said that I was already 19", he said with a laugh.

"So, after the coffee I thought 'let's be straightforward' and asked him to show me his dorm room. And he did and we hung out there for a bit...without clothes, to be exact. Afterwards, he took me home again, we exchanged numbers and one day, about two months, three weeks and six days ago, he formally asked me out."

"That's cute. You two look really good together. I might even forgive you for being a sneaky hoe! All this time you pretended to be over your crush on him and in reality you _'hung out'_ with him!" Jinwook laughed. "Hey, don't give me the quotation marks! Our relationship actually isn't based on sex, believe it or not", he pointed out.

"Unlike mine...", Wooseok mumbled. He might be overthinking it but he and Xiao only seemed to get along in the bedroom. Jinwook waved off. "Xiao will get over the damn deal. Don't worry about it", he said comfortingly. "Yeah...", Wooseok said. "Sorry, I didn't mean to go back to the whole Xiao thing. We're talking about you!"

Jinwook eyed him worriedly for a few seconds. "So that so-called 'party hook-up' from the other night...", the younger trailed off. Jinwook blushed. "Sorry, I lied...as I said I'm a secret member. I don't even have their tattoo. I only joined because they were in desperate need of someone with computer skills...and to be with Kogyeol but that's obvious. People aren't supposed to know that I'm associated with him, though", Jinwook explained.

"Do you plan on joining completely?" Wooseok asked him. Jinwook shrugged. "I don't know yet. I want to see where Kogyeol and I will lead to and decide later. I don't want to join only based on the fact that I'm in love with him, you know..."

"In love, huh?" Wooseok half-teased. He admired his best friend's rationality, though. "Yeah...I haven't told him yet but I think that describes what I'm feeling...", Jinwook said, his blush still evident on his cheeks.

"I mean, when I first saw him I found him hot but that was about a year ago. I actually got to know him over the past three months. And he's still hot! But there's also his personality...he's sweet, gentle, caring...", the older swooned. Wooseok smiled at him. He'd never seen his best friend so in love before. It made him happy.

"Oh...and _fantastic_ in bed!" Jinwook deadpanned. Wooseok couldn't help but laugh. Typical Jinwook; first he'd go all romantic and shit and then he'd say something blunt like this.

"I guess that runs in the family, too", Wooseok mumbled. Jinwook chuckled. "Look at us...", he said and leaned against the headboard. "Who would have two years ago that our boyfriends would end up being hot brothers..." Wooseok copied him and also leaned against the headboard. "I thought we weren't going to talk about two years ago", he pointed out.

Jinwook grinned. "Sorry...", Wooseok didn't mind, though. They'd both grown since then and it was never something bad or awkward to begin with. "Does Kogyeol know?" Wooseok questioned. Jinwook shook his head. "It never came up. Did you tell Xiao?" he returned the question.

"We haven't really done that much talking yet...I told him about last year, though...", Wooseok answered. The older gave him a surprised look. "Really? How come?" Wooseok shrugged. "He overheard when my Dad interrogated me. He asked about it so I told him everything...", he said.

Suddenly, Wooseok's phone buzzed. "Speak of the devil...it's my Dad", he said. He picked up the phone reluctantly. " **Where are you?** " his father yelled. "At Jinwook's. I'm staying over", Wooseok replied in an annoyed tone. "The hell you are! It's a school night, you're coming home!" Mr Kim ordered. "Make me", Wooseok said before he hung up.

He was in huge trouble when he came home but for now he didn't care. "I want to go to sleep...", Wooseok said. His Dad always managed to drag his mood down somehow. Wooseok covered his body with the blanket and lay down.

"You want cuddles?" Jinwook asked. Wooseok nodded silently so his best friend slid under the blanket behind him and draped his arm around the younger's waist, pulling him into his chest.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Idk why but I can just see Wooseok and Jinwook having this very, close, intimate but mostly platonic relationship which is why I gave them a bit of a back story...sometimes my mind takes me places


	23. Chapter 23

Xiao came up to Wooseok during lunch break the next day. He slipped into the seat next to him. Jinwook had gone to the bathroom so he was alone when his boyfriend approached him.

He didn’t look up from his food at first, even when Xiao wrapped his arms around his waist and kissed his cheek. “I’m sorry about yesterday”, he said, sounding remorseful. Wooseok grumbled. Xiao turned the older’s face so was forced to look at him. He kissed him again; on the lips this time.

“I’m really sorry...I shouldn’t have taken it out on you...”, Xiao apologized. “I’m new at this, okay? I get that you’re worried about me but I’m not used to it...”

Wooseok looked into his eyes. “Fine...you’re forgiven...just try not to snap at me next time when I’m just trying to look out for you”, he said. The younger grinned before he pulled Wooseok in for yet another kiss.

“I’m gone for five minutes and you've already replaced me? I’m hurt”, Jinwook’s voice spoke up in mock offense. The other two pulled apart and Wooseok chuckled. “I’m sorry, my love! I never meant to make feel used”, he played along. They both burst out laughing at their own silliness. Xiao looked at Wooseok fondly.

“I shall leave you two lovebirds alone now”, Jinwook said and got up. “You don’t have to leave”, Wooseok said. The older waved off. “I’ll be fine. I’ll just sit with Gyujin and Hwanhee. Maybe I can talk some sense into him”, he told him and took off.

“Is Hwanhee still mad at you?” Xiao asked. “He isn’t mad at me. He hates my guts”, Wooseok replied. “I could talk to him...”, the younger offered. Wooseok raised his eyebrows. “Your ways of talking often include either sex or a gun.” Xiao chuckled at that.

“I don’t bring my gun to school”, he pointed out before he linked their fingers together. “And I’m trying that whole commitment thing now so I figured I could do  _verbal_  talking”, Wooseok rested his head on the younger’s shoulder. “I don’t know...I feel like he’s doing pretty well without me as his friend.”

~

Xiao stepped on his cigarette and called out to the guy who was just leaving the school building. “Hwanhee!” He walked up to his classmate who had stopped dead in his tracks at the sound of his voice.

“You always walk home, right? Let me buy you coffee”, he said. Hwanhee huffed. “What do you want?” “I just want to talk”, Xiao answered truthfully. “I don’t see what the two of us would have to talk about...”, Hwanhee said. “I think you know, though.”

Hwanhee rolled his eyes and started walking away but Xiao caught up. “Okay, listen...I’m sorry”, he apologized. Hwanhee stopped again. “Did you just say sorry to me?” Xiao nodded. “I was an ass to you and I treated you like shit, despite knowing what you felt for me. But don’t let your anger or whatever it is out on Wooseok.”

“Easy for you to say...”, Hwanhee mumbled. “You don’t care about other people’s feelings.” “I care about Wooseok”, Xiao pointed out. Hwanhee glared at him. “I don’t believe you! People like you don’t change!” he snapped. “Not if people like _you_ don’t give me a chance! And besides, if you’re mad at me why are you letting it out on Wooseok?” he asked.

“Because he knew that you and I-...”, Hwanhee cut himself off and huffed. “Forget it...just don’t hurt him.” Xiao raised his eyebrows at the older.

“Right now it’s you who’s hurting him. I wasn’t a great person when I slept with you, I admit that I was using you...but I’m trying to be better for Wooseok. You can hate me all you want, I deserve it. But Wooseok misses you. You’re the one who’s being an ass now”, he told the slightly older male and walked away to where his motorbike was parked. 


	24. Chapter 24

When Wooseok came home his father already waited for him. "So you've decided to come home today?" he asked sarcastically. Wooseok sighed. "Yes, now excuse me. I have to study", he said and disappeared to his room before another fight started.

He studied for about an hour before he started feeling sleepy. He was just about to head to bed early when he heard a knock on his window. He spotted Xiao crouching on the window sill. He opened it and let him in.

"Hey...I was about to go to sleep." Wooseok told him. "Mind if I join you?" Xiao asked. The older shook his head so Xiao shrugged off his jacket and told off his shoes while Wooseok locked the door to keep his father out.

He joined Xiao who'd already gotten comfortable in his bed, cuddling up to him and relishing his warmth. He could definitely get used to getting cuddles every night.

"Can I ask you something?" Xiao spoke up. Wooseok hummed, already half asleep. "Did you and Jinwook have a thing before?" Wooseok opened his eyes in a flash, most of his tiredness vanishing on the spot.

"What makes you say that?" he asked. "I've noticed before and I thought about it today. The way you guys interact...kind of like there's a history", Xiao stated.

Wooseok pursed his lips. "We weren't together if that's what you're getting at...", he said. "So there was something?" Xiao questioned. Wooseok untangled himself from his embrace and rolled onto his back.

"Years ago...we were curious teenagers. But we never had any romantic feelings for each other. Everything we did was for educational purposes only and it stopped the moment I got my first boyfriend. Except for one time last year. But we're just best friends..."

Xiao propped himself onto his elbow and rested his head on his hand, looking at Wooseok. "What exactly did you do?" he questioned. Wooseok blushed. "Why do you want to know that?" he asked. Xiao shrugged which looked weird, considering he lay on his side. "Maybe I find the thought of you two getting it on hot." Well, at least he didn't seem angry, Wooseok thought.

"Maybe I want to know what he did so I can do it better...", he suggested. Wooseok hid his face in his hands. "How did you even figure it out?" he whined into his palms. Xiao chuckled and pulled him closer again, back into their previous position. "I was just curious. You two always seemed super close so I wanted to know...seems like I was right."

"Are you mad?" Wooseok questioned. "Considering my history, do you think I should be?" Xiao asked back. Wooseok hummed. "I guess not...I just don't want it to be weird for you...", he murmured into Xiao's chest.

"It's fine. I've slept with friends before so..." Wooseok chuckled. "Why doesn't that surprise me?" Xiao laughed.

~

Wooseok woke up late for school the next day. Xiao was still fast asleep when Wooseok checked his phone to find that first period was almost over by now. He scrambled out of bed and frantically began to get ready which, of course, stirred Xiao awake eventually.

"What are you doing?" he asked in a low, sleepy, morning voice that Wooseok had grown extremely fond of. "We're late for school", Wooseok informed the younger. "Who cares...call in sick...", Xiao mumbled groggily. "And get skinned alive by my father? No, thanks."

"Fine...you go then...I'll see myself out when it's not ass o'clock in the morning", Xiao said and rolled around in Wooseok's bed so his back was facing him. Wooseok sighed, figuring that it would be useless trying to get his boyfriend to wake up.

"Alright, then...I'll lock the door again, just in case. My father really can't see you here!" he told the younger who just grumbled in acknowledgement. 

 


	25. Chapter 25

"Xiao knows...", Wooseok said to Jinwook two hours later when they were both bored out of their minds in history class. Jinwook raised his eyebrows. "Xiao knows what?" he asked. "About...two years ago", Wooseok replied.

Jinwook's eyes widened in surprise. "You told him?" Wooseok shook his head. "He figured it out somehow. It seems he's okay with it, though...", he informed his best friend. "I hope so...you did tell him that it was just experimental, right?" Jinwook asked. "Of course. I thought he was going to get mad if I didn't explain the background..."

Jinwook sighed. "Seems like I'm going to have to tell Kogyeol now...", he said. Wooseok could see that Jinwook was worried to let his boyfriend know about the past.

"I'm sure it'll be fine. It is the past after all. And it's not like we were dating...", he tried to assure his best friend. "Yeah...but I still feel weird about telling him. I mean, it wasn't completely meaningless either, right?" Wooseok nodded in agreement.

Two years ago, he and Jinwook had crossed the line of friendship for a few times. They hadn't developed any romantic feelings for each other but the whole thing hadn't been for nothing. It was about trust and their bond had definitely intensified.

**_-Flashback-_ **

_Wooseok sat next to his best friend on the latter's bed, both leaning against the headboard. It was a hot summer afternoon so Jinwook had already parted ways with his shirt. They were currently talking about Jinwook's ex whom he had broken up with two days before._

_"So you haven't done anything with him?" Wooseok asked. Jinwook shook his head. "All we did was make out. All the time...", he answered. Wooseok thought that that didn't sound all that bad. He had never had a boyfriend before so he silently envied his best friend a little._

_"I'd like someone I can talk to from time to time, you know? I mean, making out is great and he's a good kisser and everything...but you know me. I need to connect with someone on an emotional level. I'm glad I didn't go any further with him than I did...", Jinwook explained._

_Wooseok nodded slowly. He was more inexperienced than the older but he understood what he was getting at. "I think sex should be less about love than about trust, you know? Like, love is a nice bonus but I want to give my virginity to someone I trust 100%...", he continued._

_Wooseok hummed in agreement. "I get that...like, the thought of sleeping with someone who dumps me afterwards because he got what he wanted freaks me out. I want to remember my first time as something precious..." Jinwook nodded and they fell silent._

_Suddenly, Wooseok started chuckling, which caught the older's attention. "What is it?" he asked. Wooseok waved off, still laughing. "What?" Jinwook drilled. "I was just thinking...the only person I trust 100%...is you", he said. Jinwook looked at him like he lost his mind before he seemed to think about something._

_"That's actually a pretty good point...", he trailed off. Wooseok stopped laughing to shoot him a confused look. "What do you mean?" "You're going to hit me in a second but...what if we got the whole "first time"-issue out of the way? Like, you trust me, I trust you...this is perfect practice when we have real boyfriends later...", Jinwook suggested._

_Wooseok didn't hit him. He stared back at him, completely surprised by the outcome of their conversation. "Hold the phone, are you saying that we should...have sex?" Jinwook shrugged like it wasn't the most unusual suggestion he'd ever made._

_"We don't have to if you don't want to. I just think that things wouldn't get weird between us afterwards. We've been through a lot together so why not that as well?" Jinwook said._

_Wooseok thought about this. He never thought about Jinwook like that but he had to admit that his friend was pretty attractive. But could they really do this? What if things got weird? What if it wasn't good?_

_On the other hand, Wooseok was a curious hormonal 16-year-old..._

_Before he could stop his brain he found himself wondering what it would be like to have someone touch him the way he only touched himself in the safe space of his own bedroom. He asked himself what it would feel like if_ Jinwook  _touched him like that._

_"I-I guess...I mean...the thought never crossed my mind but I guess we could...", he trailed off. Jinwook grinned. "Does this fall under the 'no homo' category?" he joked. Wooseok laughed quietly. "I guess so..."_

_He felt himself blush as he leaned over to his best friend and whispered. "I'll chicken out if we don't go through with it now..." He figured that getting cold feet would be the thing that really made it awkward._

_Jinwook looked surprised for about a millisecond before he leaned in to kiss Wooseok. The younger was caught off-guard so he gasped but didn't pull away. He shifted a little so he was straddling his best friend and let Jinwook explore his mouth with his tongue._

_**-Flashback end-** _

"Still, I feel like he'll be fine", Wooseok told his best friend. "If he wants to he can even punch me...as long as it won't affect your relationship." Jinwook laughed at that, seeming to relax a little at his best friend's encouraging words.

~

At lunch Wooseok was more than surprised when Hwanhee sat down across from him and Jinwook and started eating wordlessly. The two older boys exchanged a look before Jinwook spoke up. "Uh...hi?" "Hi...", Hwanhee mumbled, still focusing on his food and not looking at either of them. Wooseok decided not to say anything and just eat. It went like this for a few minutes until Hwanhee eventually put his chopsticks down.

"Okay, I'll be straightforward. I liked Xiao and I was pissed that he liked you. I wanted to be that one to change him and it sucked that you managed to do what I couldn't. I was jealous and childish and I'm sorry", he blurted out all at once.

Wooseok smiled, happy to hear his friend talking to him again. "I'm sorry, too, Hwanhee. I should have taken your feelings more seriously...", he apologized. "They were pointless anyway...Xiao never liked me the way he likes you. But he apologized to me and if he can do that so can I."

Wooseok wouldn't have expected Xiao to really talk to Hwanhee but it seemed to have worked so he made a mental note to thank him later.

"Besides, I like somebody else now so we might as well be friends again", Hwanhee added. That perked Jinwook's interest. "Spill those details, boy." Wooseok laughed. He was glad that everything went back to normal within a matter of five seconds.

Before Hwanhee could answer, Gyujin sat down next to him. "Hey guys", he greeted them. "I see y'all made up." Hwanhee blushed which did not go unnoticed by Jinwook who silently pointed it out to Wooseok with a mere look in his direction.

Hwanhee's eyes were practically sparkling with adoration and admiration for Gyujin. "Something wrong?" a clueless Gyujin asked when nobody spoke. "Nope, nothing at all", Jinwook replied. That seemed to be enough for their classmate.

"So, you and Xiao still good?" Gyujin asked Wooseok. "Yeah, everything's perfect", he replied. "What about you? Everything alright with the boyfriends?" That earned him a shrug. "Sungjun seems a little stressed recently. He wouldn't say why, though. I assume it's because of university...", he admitted.

Jinwook coughed awkwardly. Wooseok knew it wasn't a real cough but he didn't question it. "But Yein's still his sweet self and we'll get it out of Jun eventually...", Gyujin added. "Good, I hope it'll be alright", Jinwook told him.

"Hyung, you said you were going to take me to the café Yein works at", Hwanhee said. Gyujin looked at him and ruffled the younger's hair. "Sure, I promised you a cup of the best coffee in Seoul, didn't I? How's today after school?"

Hwanhee beamed. "Today's perfect! I'll wait for you at the front gate after class, okay? I gotta go now", he chirped and got up. "See you later." Wooseok watched Hwanhee practically fly away.

"Uh...Gyu?" Jinwook spoke up. Gyujin looked at him. "Yeah?" "This whole thing between you and your boyfriends...how did it start?" Wooseok had been curious about that for a while as well. Gyujin laughed and leaned back in his chair.

"They were dating first...they've been together since Jun's junior year in high school so...four years? I met Yein when I went to the café he works at about a year ago...I'd never seen him before since both him and Jun went to a different high school...I found him cute so I started going there every day. One day I saw that he was with Jun during his break and I thought that my chances with him just went through the window. But he saw me and introduced me to Jun...I started spending time with them and after I while I noticed that I was attracted to both of them...which I told them. But the rest is a secret", Gyujin explained.

Gyujin always looked happy when he got to talk about his boyfriends. Wooseok found himself enjoying most of the stories Gyujin told.

"Are you guys open for new people?" Jinwook questioned. "Why? Are you interested?" Gyujin joked. Jinwook chuckled and waved off. "No, I'm good, thanks. I was just wondering."

Gyujin shrugged. "Sure, if it's the right person...", he answered. "And if only one of you likes that person?" Wooseok questioned. Gyujin looked from him to Jinwook and back. "Never happened before...why are you asking all these questions?" he asked suspiciously. "Curiosity", Wooseok and Jinwook said at the same time. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm actually currently in the process of writing a Jinseok prequel...so since we've got this chapter out of the way I might start posting it soon!


	26. Chapter 26

Xiao had more or less anticipated this night. Normally, he wouldn't disobey his brother's orders but the deal was important. Kuhn and Bit-to needed him. He tried following their car as subtly as possible all the way to Incheon's harbor where the deal would take place. He thought about Wooseok who'd been sound asleep when Xiao headed out.

He just hoped that tonight would go smoothly so he could sneak back into his boyfriend's bed before he noticed that he was gone.

They reached the harbor. Now that they were in a more quiet and abandoned area Xiao couldn't really be subtle anymore. His motorcycle made too much noise. Kuhn immediately noticed him when he got out of the car.

"Xiao! Are you out of your mind?!" he whisper-yelled. "Kogyeol's gonna kill you", Bit-to said in the same exasperated tone. Xiao shrugged. "You guys need me. My brother's just being overprotective!" he argued. Kuhn rolled his eyes.

"Fine...it's too late now anyway. It can't be helped. Park's waiting just behind those containers...there's a small pier...", he explained. They hadn't even taken five steps when a gunshot roared through the night.

"Take cover!" Bit-to yelled, pulling out his own gun and hiding behind one of the large containers as the gunshots continued. Xiao had almost reached his hiding spot when a searing pain ran through his shoulder and he fell over.

His head was spinning as the pain spread through his entire body. He heard Kuhn yell.

"Bit-to! The car! Xiao's hurt!" but it sounded far away and not even a second later he blacked out, sure that he would die here without even getting to say goodbye to Wooseok.

~

Jinwook had dragged this moment out for almost two weeks since Wooseok had told him that Xiao knew about their past. Now he sat in the living room of the hideout with Kogyeol, anxiously awaiting an answer to the confession he'd just made.

"So...you and Wooseok...", the older said carefully. "Yes but it was ages ago and we were always just friends! Nothing more, I swear! I just thought you should know because you met him and he's very important to me. But I love you and I hope this won't affect us because if it does-"

"Babe!" Kogyeol interrupted his boyfriend's nervous rambling. "I'm not mad at you. It was in the past. It would've been awkward if I found out by chance...but since you told me, it's fine", he assured him softly.

"I-it is?" Jinwook asked. Kogyeol leaned in to kiss him. "It is. That was the past. I am your future...", he said. "And I love you, too." Jinwook smiled but just as he was about to tease the older for getting sappy the front door burst open and loud voices called through the hallway.

"Third bedroom! Get Wei!" It was Bit-to. The tone in his voice let on that something happened. Kogyeol and Jinwook stormed onto the hallway and a second later, Jinwook's assumptions corrected themselves when Kuhn and Bit-to carried an unconscious, bleeding Xiao into the third bedroom which served as some sort of infirmary and study room for Wei.

"What the hell happened?" Kogyeol shouted. Wei who had been napping in one of the bedrooms waddled into the room. "Wha-", his eyes widened when he saw the situation in front of him.

"Jinhoo, get my bag from over there", he ordered, suddenly wide awake. The youngest did as he was told and handed Wei the bag. "Shouldn't we take him to the hospital?" Kogyeol asked. "Boss, think straight! You know we can't do that!" Wei said, while putting some rubber gloves on. The infirmary turned into a mini hospital within a matter of seconds as Wei carefully began treating Xiao.

"Would you please tell me why the fuck my brother was with you tonight?!" Kogyeol addressed Kuhn and Bit-to. "He followed us. The whole thing was a trap...they started shooting before we even reached the meeting spot...", Kuhn explained.

"A trap?" Kogyeol repeated. Jinwook put a hand on his upper arm. "You should talk about this outside. Wei needs to concentrate", he pointed out calmly. Kogyeol took a desperate look at his unconscious brother before he motioned for Kuhn and Bit-to to follow him.

"Do you need assistance?" Jinwook asked Wei. "Yes, could you look for the stuff I need to stitch this up? Should be in my bag", Wei said without taking his eyes off of Xiao's wound. Jinwook, again, did as he was told.

"Will he be okay?" he asked as Wei took the requested items from him. "Can't say...the bullet went through... nowhere near his heart but he's lost quite some blood. If everything goes according to plan under those circumstances...he should be alright...", Wei explained while stitching Xiao up.

"Hand me the bandages, please...", he said after about 10 minutes of anxious silence. Jinwook obliged and Wei started putting bandages on Xiao. "I need to monitor his breathing for a bit. And you should probably let Wooseok know...", he suggested. Jinwook nodded and pulled his phone out of his jeans pocket. Only now did he notice how shaky his hands were. He dialed Wooseok's number and held the phone to his ear.

It rang once, twice, three times...then, finally, Wooseok picked up, sounding sleepy. "Jinwook? What's-" "Xiao was shot. We're at Kogyeol's place..." "WHAT?!" Wooseok exclaimed. "Is he...will he be alright?" 

Judging by the rustling sounds Wooseok was already out of bed. "I don't know...just come here quick, okay?" he said. "I'll be there as soon as I can", Wooseok said and hung up.


	27. Chapter 27

“Where is he?” Wooseok asked after practically bursting into the apartment 20 minutes later. Jinwook led him into the third bedroom where Wei was still monitoring Xiao’s pulse and breathing.

“Why didn’t you take him to the hospital?” Wooseok asked frantically. “We can’t do that. They wouldn’t treat him there”, Wei said. “What kind of bull-“ “Last year all hospitals in Korea announced that they wouldn’t take care of gang war victims anymore. Unless they’re “normal innocent citizens”. It’s completely against our oath and some doctors are trying to fight it but for now this is the better option. Medically and legally. He’s underage and carrying a gun…”, Wei explained calmly.

Wooseok felt like collapsing. Jinwook seemed to sense that his best friend was on the verge of a mental breakdown. He gently dragged Wooseok to a small couch beneath the window and made him sit down.

Kogyeol, Kuhn and Bit-to entered the room again. “From what I can tell he’ll be okay. The bleeding has stopped and his breathing and pulse seem stable. The bullet went through but didn’t hit anything vital”, Wei explained to Kogyeol who nodded, shooting a worried glance at his little brother.

Xiao was properly tucked into bed and Wooseok stayed behind with him, eyes never leaving his boyfriend’s face.

~

Wooseok must have fallen asleep in his uncomfortable seating position. He woke up just in time to see his boyfriend shifting and opening his eyes. “Hey, easy there”, he said when Xiao tried to sit up. He rose from the couch and walked over to his bedside.

“What happened?” the younger asked. “You tell me. You were with me when I fell asleep last night and suddenly Jinwook calls me about you getting shot! Do you know how scared I was?” Wooseok was crying by now, half from anger and half from relief.

“I’m sorry...” “You said I didn’t have to worry about you getting shot”, Wooseok said accusingly. “I know...I’m sorry”, Xiao repeated. He reached out with his good arm to take Wooseok’s hand. The older sniffled and wiped his tears with the other.

A second later Kogyeol entered the room. “Oh, you’re awake”, he stated, looking as relieved as Wooseok felt. “How do you feel?” he asked. “Like somebody ripped off my right arm”, Xiao answered. Kogyeol nodded in acknowledgement.

“What were you thinking? I told you to stay out of this. You could have been killed last night. You scared us half to death!” he scolded him. Xiao looked apologetic. “I’m sorry, hyung. I wanted to be useful. But we got tricked. There was no deal...they’re after us...”

A heavy silence followed. Wooseok felt a chill run down his spine at the younger’s words. Suddenly, Kogyeol spoke up again. “Why didn’t I see this before?” It came out mumbled but Wooseok and Xiao understood him nonetheless. “See what before?” Wooseok asked.

“Think about it. Why would a big fish like Park Minhwan want to turn to us of all gangs? We’re a small gang with good sources but there are others he could have asked...he wants to wipe us out...for good. I just don’t quite understand why. Our business isn’t big enough to threaten his...”

“What are we going to do?” Xiao questioned. “ _You_  are going to rest!” Wooseok said sternly. “I’ll figure something out...”, Kogyeol mumbled as Wei came inside. “Ah, good, you’re awake. Makes changing the bandages easier. How are you holding up?” he asked. Xiao shrugged with his good shoulder.

“Okay, I guess. Thanks for stitching me up, by the way...”, he answered. Wei grinned. “It’s cool. I’m actually happy that I could finally show my skills here. I-“ He was cut off by a phone ringing. Wei pulled his out of his pocket and picked up.

“Hey babe. What’s-“ He was cut off by the person on the other side. His eyes widened at their words. “Wait, Gyu! Slow down! Are you two okay?” Kogyeol looked at him questioningly. “Good...hang on a second”, Wei said to “Gyu” before he looked back at the leader.

“Somebody just shot at Gyujin and Yein through the window when they were opening the café. They’re not hurt, but scared...”, Wei told him. “Tell them to come here. It’s safer than going home”, Kogyeol said, looking just as shocked as the younger.

“Okay, listen to me, Gyu. I’m gonna give you an address and you and Yein are gonna come here straight away. Don’t go to the police...I’ll explain everything when you’re here. Trust me.” He hung up.

“Wait, you’re Sungjun?” Wooseok asked Wei who gave him a weird look. “How did you-“ “Gyujin is my friend...he talks about you a lot...he’s okay, right?” Wei nodded but he looked like he was going to implode any second now. He ran a hand through his hair and looked at the leader. “Are they going after our families now?” he asked frantically. Kogyeol’s face was pale but he managed to stay calm despite the chaos.

~

Wooseok followed Wei and Kogyeol into the kitchen since Xiao needed to rest. “Who would shoot at your boyfriends?” Wooseok asked. Wei rested his elbows on the counter and buried his head in his hands.

“I guess Park Minhwan wants to scare us...show us who’s in control...”, Kogyeol said. Jinwook came in. “What’s going on?” he asked as he came up to his boyfriend’s side. “We’re being threatened. Park’s men shot at Wei’s boyfriends”, the older answered. Jinwook’s eyes widened. “What? Are they alright?”

Wei nodded. “They’re on the way here right now...”, he said. A tense silence followed. Wei still looked like he was about to go crazy, Kogyeol looked like he was thinking hard about a solution and Jinwook was just downright worried. Wooseok wanted to help so he tried his best to come up with something himself. 


	28. Chapter 28

Gyujin and Yein arrived shortly after. Wei pulled both of them into a hug as soon as he opened the door. The others had all gathered in the living room, minus Xiao because he was still resting.

“Would you tell us what’s going on? Why did those guys shoot at us?” Yein asked. Meanwhile, Gyujin had spotted his friends. “What are you two doing here?” he asked. Wei put a hand on each of his boyfriends’ backs. “I’ll explain everything to you. Let’s go somewhere private...” Gyujin shot Wooseok a confused look but followed Wei into the kitchen.

“Are you two really not hurt anywhere?” “Sungjun! Tell us what is going on!” Yein demanded. He was scared but also determined to know the truth. Sungjun sighed. “Alright...you should sit, though”, he told the two younger boys.

Gyujin raised his eyebrows but let himself sink on a bar stool next to the kitchen isle. Yein looked at the older for a few more seconds before occupying the other bar stool. Sungjun stood on the opposite side of the isle.

“So, the reason you two were attacked today...is because of me. No wait, not directly because of  _me_  but...because of who I’m associated with”, he stated. “And who would that be?” Yein asked, crossing his arms over his chest.

“The Vipers...” It wasn’t Sungjun who answered but Gyujin. The older two gave him confused looks, though for different reasons. “This is the Vipers’ hideout, right? Wooseok is here so I assume that Xiao can’t be far either. I saw Kogyeol earlier...Jinwook wouldn’t shut up about him so I know of him. Also, the snake tattoo on your shoulder blade. You said that you thought it looked cool but it all makes sense now. You’re one of them, right?”  Gyujin explained calmly.

Sungjun lowered his head and nodded.  “Wait...you’re...in a gang?!” Yein exclaimed. “I’m mostly responsible for the medical stuff but I also do other things...”, Sungjun replied. “Define other things!” Yein demanded. “Just...business...”

“Did you kill people before?” Sungjun didn’t answer immediately. Gyujin could already imagine the answer but Yein didn’t back down. “Did you?” he drilled. “Only when I had to...but we’re not that type of gang. If we kill it’s mostly for self-defense!” Sungjun finally answered.

Yein exhaled and buried his face in his hands. “How long have you been a part of this gang?” Gyujin asked. “Almost two years...”, the older admitted. “Two years?! That’s half our relationship! Are you saying that you lied to me – to us – all this time?” Yein exclaimed and got up.

“I didn’t tell you because I wanted to protect you! You know I’d never hurt either of you!” Sungjun said in a desperate tone. He couldn’t stand the almost scared look Yein shot him.

“Do I really know you, though? Up until today I thought my boyfriend was a normal med student who didn’t have a single criminal bone in his body!” “Yein...calm down first. I’m sure Jun had his reasons for keeping us in the dark”, Gyujin said in a soothing voice.

“You can’t tell me that you’re not mad!” “I’m not mad. Sure, I’m not happy about the whole danger thing but I trust Jun...he’d never do anything to hurt us. You know that.” Sungjun looked from Gyujin to Yein and back. His face was desperate. Yein sighed and fell back on the bar stool.

“I can’t say I like this...”, he admitted. “I’m still the same person I was before...just...maybe think of this as my way of supporting us financially. My internship doesn’t really pay off that well...”, Sungjun tried. “And I don’t think you can go back to the café any time soon”, Gyujin spoke up. Yein ran a hand through his hair. “Alright, alright...but how long do we have to stay here?” he asked.

“Not much longer. I just don’t want you to go home without me. I want to be able to protect you in case those guys try anything again”, the oldest explained. Yein still didn’t look happy about the whole situation but he nodded nonetheless.

“Okay, I’ll go join the others because we gotta figure out what to do about the man who’s responsible for all this”, Sungjun said. “I want to come with you”, Gyujin said. “Me too”, Yein spoke up. Sungjun looked reluctant.

“I don’t-“ “I’m coming with you and that is not up for debate! You do not want to make me mad today, Lee Sungjun!” Yein said sternly and rose from his seat again. Sungjun slumped his shoulders and nodded in defeat.  


	29. Chapter 29

“You should not be up!” Wei said to Xiao when he entered the living room with his boyfriends in tow. The younger sat next to Wooseok on the floor. He pouted at the older's words. “I’m sitting, see? I’m not going to miss out on this meeting if it’s about whooping Park Minhwan’s ass." Wooseok just eyed him worriedly.

Wei sighed as he took a seat on the small leather couch. “Fine, but don’t overdo it!” he gave in. “What happened to you?” Gyujin asked as he took a seat next to Jinwook who also sat on the floor. Yein hesitated for a moment but sat down as well. “He was shot because he’s an idiot”, Jinwook said.

“Where’s the love, Jinwook?” Xiao asked dramatically. The older just grinned at him. Kogyeol cleared his throat, causing all the chatter to die down. “Okay, now that everyone and their boyfriends are here...let’s talk about the problem at hand”, he began.

“Park Minhwan is trying to wipe us out to get us off the gun market and I’m sure he’s not going to back down until he succeeds. He seems to have done background checks on us, considering he targeted Wei’s boyfriends.”

“What are we going to do?” Kuhn asked. “What if we just, ya know...”, Xiao trailed off and made a throat cutting motion with his hand. “Do you really think it’s that easy?” Kogyeol asked.

“Big organizations like his have a hierarchy. If we just take him out his right hand man will become the next leader and continue his plans. We’d need to take out all the higher-ups in his organization and we don’t know how many of those there are. Don’t even get me started about all the underlings and guards Park probably has...”

“All we need is a plan and a strategy”, Wooseok spoke up, surprising everyone. “We?” Xiao muttered only for Wooseok to hear. “I want to help. I want to get back at the people who hurt you”, the older answered. “But this is dangerous. Even being with me is dangerous right now!” Xiao argued.

The older smiled at him. “I knew what I got myself into when I got involved with you...”, he said. Kogyeol cleared his throat again. “I think we won’t really figure out much today. I want you to watch out when you go out. We don’t know what else Park has planned for us...”

~

Wooseok helped Xiao back to the infirmary room where Wei checked up on him again and changed his bandages. The oldest was unusually quiet while he did his job, though.

“Are you okay, Wei?” Wooseok asked. “Not really. Yein’s mad at me and I can’t blame him...” the older replied. “I should have told him and Gyu about the Vipers but I never would have thought that I might _have_ to...”, he explained. “Only now I realize how much I’ve broken their trust...” “I’m sure he’s going to adjust to the situation. You should just give him time”, Wooseok advised. Wei nodded and finished up with the bandages.

“Well, I’ll take them home now. Call me if you need anything”, Wei said. Xiao nodded. “Thanks”, he mumbled. Wei gave them a weak smile and left the room. Wooseok faced his boyfriend. “Are you holding up okay? Does it still hurt?” he asked. Xiao shook his head. “I’m fine, Class President. Stop worrying about me”, he said.

Wooseok chuckled. “You’re never gonna let the nickname go, huh? Anyway, rest a little more. I’ll stay here for a little while longer. I’ll go talk to Jinwook for a bit”, he said. “Alright”, Xiao said and let himself sink into the pillows. He noticed that Xiao wasn’t really talkative today. Maybe he was in more pain than he let on.

Wooseok shot his boyfriend a worried look before leaving the room. Jinwook sat on the couch, leaning against Kogyeol’s side with a laptop on his lap. They both looked gloomy which was understandable, considering the crisis the gang was in right now.

“Guys, I might have a plan”, Wooseok announced.


	30. Chapter 30

“A plan?” Jinwook asked, sitting up properly and putting his laptop aside. Wooseok nodded. “You said that big gangs have a hierarchy, right? What if we just find out who those higher ups you talked about are and take them out. I realize that it isn’t easy but I feel like we can do this”, he said.

Kogyeol raised an eyebrow at him. “Alright, what did you have in mind?” he asked. “Well, I say we keep tabs on them to find out their routines and then we make an invasion plan on their hide-out...”, Wooseok suggested. Kogyeol looked sceptical. “This might sound like I’ve watched too many spy movies but it might work.” “How are we going to put them under surveillance them when we don’t have access to their hide-out”, Kogyeol asked.

“We get access. We just have to sneak someone inside and set up cameras”, Wooseok said. “That’s actually not half bad...but I have nobody to do it. He seems to know our members”, Kogyeol said. “He doesn’t know me”, Jinwook spoke up. “Yeah, you’re not going, forget it”, the older replied immediately. They stared each other down for a few seconds before Wooseok cleared his throat. “I could do it”, he suggested. Kogyeol averted his stare from his boyfriend to look at Wooseok.

“You’re not a member. I can’t have you do dangerous stuff just like that”, he said. Wooseok shrugged. “What do I have to do to join?” he asked. Shuffling was heard from the hallway. “No! No way, that’s not gonna happen!” a new voice spoke up. Xiao stood in the doorway, a determined look on his face.

“What are you doing up again?” Kogyeol asked his little brother. “I had to go to the bathroom and I heard you guys talk. You’re not going to join!” The last part was directed at Wooseok who raised his eyebrow. “Says who?” Xiao glared at him. “Says me!”

Wooseok turned to Kogyeol again. “What do I have to do?” Kogyeol looked a tad bit confused but answered nonetheless. “You just need to be at least sixteen. Do you know how to use a gun?” he asked. Wooseok shook his head. “Bit-to can show you. He’s pretty good, since our best shooter is out!”

“Yeah, and your best shooter is against this! This is a gang, Class President. Not an extracurricular activity! If you join you can’t just leave. Friendship or not, whoever tries to leave will be killed!” Xiao spoke up again. Kogyeol rolled his eyes. “Bullshit, he’s just being dramatic again. We’re not the mafia. We’re not like this...only maybe with traitors.”

Xiao came up to Wooseok. “Listen, I know you don’t like this but I want to go after the people who hurt you. And if they find out that I’m with you I’m in danger anyway so I might as well go down fighting”, the older explained. Xiao sighed. “Alright, I need to talk to you...alone”, he said and dragged Wooseok out of the room.

~

Xiao stopped once they were in the kitchen and faced the older. “Okay, listen. I didn’t want to say it like this but I feel like you’re only going to understand it that way. You’re clingy and obsessive and it’s annoying. Frankly, I’ve had enough of this relationship bullshit. You’re a nice fuck but I don’t like all that commitment crap...so I don’t want you joining the gang.”

Wooseok looked back at him, his eyes widening with each sentence. Xiao expected the slap to his face. And he deserved it. Wooseok stormed out without saying anything. He heard the front door slam and felt a weird pain in his chest, a million times worse than the gunshot wound or the slap.

He sat down on one of the bar stools and buried his face in his hands, mentally telling himself that this was what he had to do; that this was the right thing. Jinwook entered the kitchen. “Did Wooseok leave? What happened?” he asked. Xiao didn’t answer or look up. He was trying too hard not to cry.

“Xiao? What did you do?!” Jinwook asked. The younger took a few more seconds to bite back the tears and finally willed himself to look at his brother’s boyfriend. “Why is your cheek so red? Did you two fight? What happened?!” “Wooseok went home. We broke up. You should probably check on him. I’m going to lie down a bit...” He was surprised by how well his voice listened to him.

Jinwook had a bit of a mother instinct sometimes so he was sure that he knew that Xiao was putting up a front but he just needed to be alone so he didn’t care what the older thought. He got up and stormed back to the third bedroom where he locked the door and sat down on the floor where he finally let his everlasting façade crumble. 

 


	31. Chapter 31

Jinwook quickly filled Kogyeol in on the situation and luckily his boyfriend was quick to drive him to Wooseok’s place. He just hoped that Wooseok really went home. He could be anywhere by now. “Is he still not picking up?” Kogyeol asked. “No...I’m worried about him...”, Jinwook admitted.

Kogyeol gave him a short side-look before focusing on the road again. “I’m sure he headed straight home”, he said in an attempt to calm Jinwook down. “I won’t be able to relax until I see for myself”, Jinwook replied.

“I don’t understand why Xiao suddenly broke up with him...”, Kogyeol mumbled. “Honestly, I’ve never seen him like this. He seemed to really like Wooseok...” “He does, that’s why he did it”, Jinwook said, already holding his phone to his ear again. He had already figured out the reason for Xiao’s sudden decision. It was obvious, considering the timing and the way Xiao looked when he had confronted him in the kitchen.

“What do you mean?” Kogyeol questioned. They pulled up in Wooseok’s street. “I’ll explain later. You should go back and check on Xiao. I can take the subway home later. I’ll be fine and I’ll make sure that Wooseok will be too”, Jinwook said once his boyfriend had stopped the car. The older nodded and leaned over to kiss him on the cheek.

“Alright, I’ll see you later then...”, he said. Jinwook opened the car door and was already half out the door when the older held him back by the wrist. “I love you”, he told him. Jinwook smiled. “I love you, too”, he answered. Kogyeol returned the smile and released his boyfriend.

He all but stormed into the apartment building, knocking on the door to Wooseok’s apartment. His father opened. “Jinwook”, he said. “Mr Kim. Is Wooseok home?” Jinwook asked, trying not to sound as worried as he felt. To his utter relief, Mr Kim nodded.

“Did something happen? He just stormed into his room without saying a word. Did you two have a fight?” Mr Kim asked. “No, not us...do you think I could talk to him?” The man nodded and let Jinwook step inside. He looked uncharacteristically worried about his son which (sadly) was a first for Jinwook to see.

~earlier~

“Woo-“ Mr Kim didn’t even get to finish his name before Wooseok had already slammed the door to his room after all but barging into the apartment. He didn’t care that his father was probably going to chew him out for being gone half the night and all morning until the late afternoon.

Right now, Wooseok just wanted to be alone. The elderly ladies on the subway had given him worried looks when he’d tried to hold back his sobs on the way home. He wasn’t doing a good job, judging by their reactions. The whole ride home was filled with questions to himself. Why did Xiao suddenly break up with him? Did the past few weeks really not mean anything to him? Why did it hurt so damn much?

He noticed his phone ringing a few times but he didn’t want to talk to anyone. He couldn’t talk to anyone! He let himself fall on his bed and buried his face into the pillows, tears wetting it almost immediately as his whole body shook with sobs.

Wooseok faintly registered the faint knock on the door. “Wooseok?” his father asked. He didn’t answer. “Jinwook is here...”, he said through the door. Wooseok didn’t care. He didn’t even have the strength or the willpower to tell them both to get lost. 

 


	32. Chapter 31

“Wooseok?” Jinwook asked carefully after a few minutes. Wooseok’s audible sobs had quieted down a little. And he figured he’d give his friend some space to calm down a bit first. Now, he entered the room with careful steps. Wooseok’s back was facing him and he was hiccupping occasionally. It broke his heart to see his best friend like this.

“I don’t want to talk, Jinwook. Leave me alone...”, Wooseok said with a shaky, thick voice. “I know this sucks right now. But I’m sure Xiao-“ “Don’t!” Wooseok interrupted him. “Please, I don’t want to hear it...not right now...” Jinwook nodded slowly, even though his friend couldn’t see him. “Alright...I just wanted to make sure you got home safe...”, he said.

“I’ll be here if you need me, okay?” With that he left the room, figuring that forcing Wooseok to talk to him wouldn’t do much good. He sighed as he closed the door. He knew Xiao’s reasons, or at least suspected them, but seeing his best friend suffer like this made him angry at the younger. Wooseok was one of the most important people in his life and he couldn’t stand this situation.

“Jinwook”, Mr Kim spoke up when he passed the living room. He entered the room and followed his best friend’s father’s gesture to sit down. “Is he okay?” he asked. Jinwook was surprised to say the least. Wooseok’s Dad had never shown much interest in his son’s well-being.

“No, he’s not okay”, he answered honestly. Mr Kim seemed like he didn’t know what to do with that information. Jinwook sensed his struggle. “It’s not really my place to tell you what exactly happened because I know that you’re not that close with him”, he said honestly.

Mr Kim nodded in understanding. “Sure...just...lately it’s been  _really_  bad between us. We keep fighting and I realized that I don’t really know him at all. I’m not good at reaching out to him and...I’ve made some mistakes.” Jinwook didn’t know why Mr Kim decided to confide in him but he wanted to make use of the situation.

“All he wants from you is a little more support. He feels pushed. He misses his mother a lot and, I’m sorry to say this, you’re not really doing a good job at being a parent. You only see him through his grades. He’s putting so much effort into his school work, mainly for you, but you don’t seem to realize how much he actually suffered because of it”, Jinwook explained.

“He didn’t take those pills last year because he wanted to be rebellious but because he thought that it was the only way for him to reach the top and to have you be proud of him once. He’s told you all of that before but you didn’t listen well. If you don’t want to loose your son I’d suggest you start being there for him.”

Maybe Mr Kim would yell at him and throw him out for being so disrespectful but he needed to tell him all that at least once. He’d known Wooseok since they were children and he knew how much both, his ex-wife and his son suffered from the extreme perfectionism.

“You’re a good friend”, Mr Kim stated. “Pardon?” Jinwook didn’t see that coming. Mr Kim had never spoken very much with him so he didn’t expect the compliment at all. “You know him better than I ever could. I know I have been a bad father to him. And it’s probably too late to change that now. But he just came home, crying and I’ve never felt so desperate about not being able to talk to him...”

“You should try. Not right now, because he obviously wants to be alone. But once he’s calmed down a little, go and try talking to him. It’s never too late to build a connection to your own child. There are things you don’t know about him and I feel like those are things he should be able to share with his father.” Jinwook knew that Wooseok hadn’t even told his Dad about his sexuality even though he had been aware of it since he was around 15. All they ever talked about was school and academics.

Mr Kim nodded. “I’ll try...you know, you’re young but you know a lot. You’re future wife is going to be lucky”, he said. Jinwook couldn’t help but chuckle at that. “Thanks, sir”, he replied. Mr Kim seemed a little confused. “Was what I said funny?” Jinwook shook his head.

“No...it’s just that the chances of me having a wife in the future are pretty low”, he told Wooseok’s father. The man looked even more confused for a few seconds before it seemed to dawn on him. “Oh...I’m sorry, I didn’t know...and...you and Wooseok are...?” he trailed off. “Just friends. I actually have a boyfriend”, Jinwook said.

“In that case – your future husband will be lucky”, Mr Kim corrected himself. Jinwook smiled and hoped that he didn’t blush at the thought of possibly marrying Kogyeol one day. He never knew how nice his best friend’s Dad could be. “Thank you, Mr Kim.” “No, thank  _you_  for being able to straight up tell me what I needed to hear”, Wooseok’s Dad said.

Jinwook smiled a little wider. Maybe at least that relationship was fixable. He was glad to help his best friend in any way. “I should leave now...”, he said and rose from the couch. “I hope you and Wooseok will be able to talk things out. He’s not in a good emotional state right now so if it doesn’t work out today just try again later...”, he advised.

“Alight...thanks again, Jinwook”, Mr Kim said. “No problem. That’s what I’m here for as his best friend. Good luck.” 


	33. Chapter 33

Wooseok cried himself to exhaustion. He didn’t know what time it was and he didn’t care. His eyes fluttered shut as his tiredness started to take over. Xiao’s words to him still rung in his mind. A nice fuck, he’d called him. Was that really all Wooseok had been to him? He’d never felt so used before. But then again, he was an idiot for thinking that Xiao could ever be sincere about anything.

Eventually, he fell drifted off into a dreamless sleep.

~

When he woke up again he didn’t feel any better at all but he willed himself to look at his phone. 20 missed calls from Jinwook, six from Gyujin. He’d probably heard the news from Jinwook. Wooseok looked at the time. It was 6am, technically he should be getting ready for school but today he would definitely skip. He didn’t care what his father had to say but just the mere thought of seeing Xiao at school made him want to start crying all over again.

He probably would have but it seemed like he had no more tears left. A very faint knock made him look up. “Wooseok? Can I come in?” It was his father. Wooseok wiped his face which was useless since the tears on his face had long since dried and his red, puffy eyes were a dead giveaway.

“Yes”, he said, cringing at his raspy, thick voice. His father stepped into the room. “I won’t be going to school today, Dad...”, Wooseok told him, ready to get an earful from him. “That’s okay”, his father said.

Wooseok stared at him. “What?” he asked. “I said that’s okay”, Mr Kim repeated. Wooseok sighed and closed his eyes for a second. “Did Jinwook tell you?” he questioned. It sounded snappy but his father didn’t seem to mind. He closed the door to Wooseok’s room and sat down on his desk chair.

“Jinwook told me all the things you told me before. He didn’t say why you came home crying yesterday”, he said. “Why do you care all of a sudden?” Wooseok asked suspiciously. “I’ve been thinking a lot lately...and Jinwook helped opening my eyes yesterday...”

He told Wooseok about his conversation with Jinwook yesterday. And Wooseok couldn’t help but think that his best friend must be one of the most precious people out there. He even got his father to care about him. How did he deserve him?

“I’m really sorry, Wooseok. I didn’t realize how much my...perfectionism really affected you even after you told me”, Mr Kim apologized. “And I’m also sorry for driving your Mom away. I know that she probably would have been a better parent to you than I was...”

Wooseok lowered his eyes. There was no way to deny that it was, indeed, his father’s fault that his Mom left. But in the end she didn’t seem to care about Wooseok either so maybe it was time to forgive him.

“It’s okay, Dad. I haven’t been on my best behavior lately...I’m sorry for that...”, Wooseok said. “And obviously it came back to bite me in the a-...um, I mean...”, he trailed off. “Do you want to talk about it?” Mr Kim asked, carefully. Wooseok looked at his father. This was new to him but it was a good kind of new.

“I, um...I was dumped. It was pretty sudden, too”, he said. His voice started to shake again at the thought of Xiao. “I should’ve known, to be honest. He was always a bit of a...should I say player? I just thought he changed because he was so different with me...”, he explained without looking at his father.

“ _He?_ ” Mr Kim asked. Wooseok looked up quickly, not realizing that he just accidently came out to his Dad. “Y-yeah...”, he stammered. “I’m gay...”, he admitted. He wasn’t sure how his father would react. “Oh...I, um...that’s fine...unexpected but fine”, he said.

“Really?” Wooseok asked. He’d imagined that his father would freak out, call him a disappointment and whatnot. Saying that it was fine was definitely not what he had expected. “Yes, really. I might be a bad parent but I’m not homophobic. I’m just surprised. Jinwook told me he had a boyfriend and now you’re...” “Telling me that mine proved to be an ass who dumped me?” Wooseok helped his father.

“Not quite how I would have put it but yes”, Mr Kim replied. “Will you be alright?” he asked. Wooseok shrugged. “I don’t know”, he said and ran a hand through his hair. “I really don’t know...I truly thought the past three months meant something to him but I guess not...”, he added.

“You’ve been together for three months? How come you never brought him home?” Mr Kim asked. Wooseok blushed. “He was here before”, he admitted. Wooseok’s father seemed to know what he meant but luckily, he chose not to say anything.

“Anyway, I can’t go to school because I don’t want to see him. In fact, I want to spend the day studying. Xiao has distracted me enough. Finals are coming up so I better get to it”, Wooseok said, trying to sound more cheerful than he felt.

“Don’t overwork yourself. I’ve learned my lesson about pushing you”, his father said. Wooseok smiled faintly. “I won’t...I just need a distraction...”, he said. Mr Kim nodded and got up. "I'll leave you alone, then. Thanks for talking to me", he said. "Yeah...it was a nice change", Wooseok said.  


	34. Chapter 34

Studying did indeed help Wooseok with distracting himself. He hadn’t spent this much time at his desk since way before he and Xiao started dating. He was so obsessed with getting new information inside his head in order to block out Xiao that he ended up with a headache.

The next day he went back to school, hoping that Xiao wasn’t there. Jinwook eyed him worriedly when he slumped into his seat, pretending that this was just another normal school day.

“Hey...”, he started carefully. Wooseok smiled at him, it was fake and he knew that Jinwook could see right through him but he feared that if he didn’t smile he’d have a breakdown in the middle of the classroom. “Stop giving me that look, Jinwook. I’m okay”, Wooseok lied.

Jinwook raised his eyebrows. “You didn’t seem okay when I last saw you”, he stated. Wooseok tried hard not to let his smile falter. “I am now. It was only a matter of time anyway...I...I saw this happening, didn’t I?” he said. Jinwook nodded slowly and decided not to push his friend any further.

~

Lunch time came around and Wooseok told Jinwook to go ahead and save him a seat. He took a moment when he was alone in the classroom to calm himself, trying to get the lump in his throat under control. He had managed not to run into Xiao until now but if he was at school it would only be a matter of time.

What would he do? Would Xiao talk to him? Acknowledge him? Would he go back to being a cocky asshole like he was with Hwanhee? Or maybe...would he tell Wooseok that he thought about it and that he didn’t want to break up?

“Don’t be an idiot...”, he mumbled to himself. Xiao had made himself pretty clear about being annoyed with Wooseok. When he was sure that he wasn’t going to start crying as soon as he was with other people he left the classroom and started making his way to the cafeteria. He had just rounded his first corner when the universe decided to punch him in the face.

Xiao stood there, leaning against a wall and talking to; no flirting with one of Wooseok’s classmates, Im Younghyun. The guy seemed to fall for it too. He was blushing and fidgeting. Wooseok had stopped dead in his tracks as he watched the scene in front of him. Xiao took the guy’s hand and dragged him along in the direction of the janitor’s closet.

Wooseok’s hands balled into fists and he squeezed his eyes shut in order not to start crying. Of course, Xiao immediately went back to his old self, apparently not giving a damn about how much Wooseok was hurting. Of course, he took others to that closet to do god knows what. And of course, he was still the same asshole who just used other people for his own pleasure.

How could Wooseok have been so stupid?

~

He ended up not going to the cafeteria. Jinwook texted him asking him where he was and he just replied with a short _‘went home. Not feeling well’_. He didn’t go directly home, though. First, he stopped by at a place he hadn’t been to in a long time.

“Didn’t think I’d see you here again.” The man in front of him hadn’t changed one bit. He reached into one of his countless coat pockets and pulled out a small box. “The usual, I assume?” he asked. Wooseok didn’t answer and just reached into his own pocket to hand over the money.

Time to go studying. 


	35. Chapter 35

“WHAT?!” Hwanhee exclaimed at the lunch table. Jinwook looked up from his phone after reading Wooseok's reply. “I said they broke up. That’s why Wooseok wasn’t at school yesterday”, Jinwook said. “B-but...how? Why?” Hwanhee asked. Jinwook sighed. “I really shouldn’t be getting into detail right now but let’s just say that Xiao did something stupid...”

Hwanhee slammed his spoon on the table. “Xiao hurt him, didn’t he?” he demanded. Jinwook nodded, figuring that it was no use trying to hide that little fact from Hwanhee. “After he called _me_ out? Just you wait, boy, I’m not gonna let you off so easily this time”, he mumbled angrily and got up.

“Hwanhee, what-“ Jinwook started but the younger had already made his way through the crowd, probably in order to find Xiao. This wasn’t going to end well, Jinwook thought.

Gyujin joined him at the table. “Hey, Jun told me about Wooseok. Is he okay?” “No...”, Jinwook said honestly. Gyujin sighed. “This sucks...why is Xiao such an ass to him all of a sudden?” he questioned. “I’m sure he had his reasons...”, Jinwook said.

“You think? Cause I think he just got sick of being in a relationship. I just saw him with Im Younghyun...”, Gyujin told him. Jinwook looked back at him. Xiao was already sleeping around again? He thought he understood the younger’s reasons but he hadn’t expected that...

“I really don’t know what to do about Wooseok...and Hwanhee wants to kill Xiao now. The guys are tense about the whole Park Minhwan thing...everything is going downhill at the moment...”, Jinwook said, rubbing his temples in frustration. Gyujin hummed in agreement.

“Wait, you said Hwanhee wants to kill Xiao?” he asked, once the older’s words had dawned on him. “Yeah...he’s trying to find him and give him a piece of his mind...”, Jinwook said. “And I feel like I should go check on Wooseok. Knowing him, he’s probably going to drown himself in studying...I just hope he doesn’t do anything stupid...”

Gyujin nodded. “Go check on him. I’m also worried about him. But for now I should try to stop Hwanhee from committing a murder before he even graduated”, the younger said and rose from his seat again. “Alright, I’ll see you later”, Jinwook said, copying him.

~

“Wooseok?” Jinwook asked carefully as he opened his best friend’s door. As expected Wooseok sat by his desk, several books open on the table. But Wooseok didn’t seem to really be studying. His face was buried in his hands and quiet sobs could be heard through the otherwise silent room.

Jinwook didn’t hesitate to come up to his side and crouch down next to his desk chair before pulling him into a hug. Wooseok didn’t fight him or say anything but instead just clawed his hands into his best friend’s shirt and cried onto his shoulder. The older just quietly stroked his hair and waited.

His legs started to fall asleep in the position he was in right now but he didn’t care. He was ready to do whatever was necessary to comfort Wooseok. He didn’t deserve to feel like this, not after all the disappointments he had had to face before.

“I’m sorry...”, Wooseok croaked out after his sobs had quieted down a little. He pulled back and looked at Jinwook. “What for?” the older asked. “For being such a cry baby...I should probably be man about this...” “That’s bullshit and you know it. You’re allowed to cry and to feel bad. And I’m gonna be there for you. You’d do the same for me”, Jinwook told him while wiping Wooseok’s tears which were quickly replaced by new ones.

“I hope I never have to...you seem to have scored the good brother...”, Wooseok said. Jinwook rose to his feet and pulled Wooseok up as well. “I’m sure everything will be alright. It may not seem like it right now but I know it will be”, he said and hugged his best friend again.

“I don’t know about that...”, Wooseok said. Jinwook looked at him. “Come on, when was I ever wrong?” he asked. Wooseok actually half smiled at his words. “Never...”, he said. Jinwook nodded. “Exactly. Now, come on. We’ll watch some horror movies and laugh about people getting sliced to death.” He grabbed Wooseok’s hand and dragged him along to the living room.

“How is that going to help?” the younger asked. Jinwook had already opened the Netflix app on his phone and flopped down on the couch, ready to stream whatever movie onto the TV. “It helped me after my last break up. You were there, you should know”, Jinwook told him.

Wooseok nodded and sniffled. “I’ll make popcorn and hot chocolate and you get the blankets”, Jinwook suggested, already on his feet again and on his way to the kitchen. Wooseok once again thought that Jinwook was the best friend he could have ever wished for and went to grab some blankets from his room’s closet.

He waited for Jinwook to come in with a tray that had a bowl of popcorn and two mugs of hot chocolate on it. He set it down on the couch table and handed Wooseok one of the mugs before taking the other. Next he got comfortable under the blanket and took the bowl of popcorn onto his lap.

Wooseok leaned onto his shoulder before they started the movie and even though he still felt like he’d never be happy again, at least he wasn’t alone. 


	36. Chapter 36

Wooseok started eating lunch in his classroom over the next week. Jinwook joined him and sometimes Gyujin and Hwanhee did too. Hwanhee had promised him that he would make “that son of a bitch”, as he’d started calling him, pay for hurting Wooseok. Gyujin tried to keep Hwanhee calm to keep him from getting in trouble.

At home, Wooseok solely focused on studying. He didn’t want to cry about someone who didn’t really seem to care about him and finals were more important than a past relationship – at least that’s what he tried telling himself. His Dad and Jinwook were worried he’d overwork himself and he’d only prove them correct if they ever were to find that small box inside his top drawer but he always pretended to be alright or at least like he was getting there.

One rainy afternoon, two days before the finals started, Gyujin was over to study with him (and also lowkey to check on him, which Wooseok was aware of). “Hey...how are you holding up?” Gyujin asked suddenly after about an hour of studying for the math exam. “I’m fine, Gyu. Now about problem number 12-“ “Wooseok...pretending to be fine won’t make you fine”, the younger interrupted him.

Wooseok sighed and closed his book. “Alright, maybe I’m not fine. But what do you want from me? Do you want me to cry my eyes out every single day and fall into a slump? Because I won’t get into a good university if I do that!” he snapped. Gyujin looked unfazed by his outburst.

“Of course, I don’t want that. But you know that you can talk to us, right? It’s hard for us to see you pretend that you’re okay when you can’t even go to the cafeteria in fear of seeing Xi-...him...” He had experienced how tense Wooseok got whenever somebody spoke Xiao’s name so his friends had tried to avoid it as good as possible.

“Jun told me that he’s actually miserable”, Gyujin said. Wooseok raised his eyebrows. “Is that so? It didn’t seem like he was so miserable when he took Im Younghyun to the janitor’s closet!” he snapped. “But I guess, I deserve this...” Gyujin gave him a confused look. “Deserve what?”

“This! Getting my heart broken after everybody warned me...”, Wooseok said, his voice beginning to tremble again. “I regret ever letting Xiao into my life and getting charmed by him. I regret ever letting myself be that Im Younghyun in that damn janitor’s closet. I regret ever falling in love with a jerk that was bound to break my heart. So, yes, you’re right I’m not fine. But don’t expect me to believe for a second that Xiao really gave a damn about me! In fact, why don’t you go get Hwanhee so he can punch me in the face and give me the ‘I told you so’ he must be holding back on?!” he exploded.

A silence followed in which Wooseok tried to calm down again. He was done crying about Xiao! He wasn’t going to start again in front of Gyujin. The younger looked at him. “You know Hwanhee woudn’t do that”, he finally answered. “He should...now can we please get back to problem 12?” Gyujin hesitated for a moment before he sighed and nodded. “Fine...”

~

“How are we doing?” Kogyeol asked, coming up behind Jinwook and wrapping his arms around him. The younger was focused on the computer screen in front of him. “Fine so far...those guys have a boring as fuck routine so I might fall asleep if I don’t get coffee soon...”, Jinwook answered.

Kogyeol chuckled and kissed his temple. “I’ll make you one, then”, he said and went to the kitchen. Jinwook thought about how surprisingly easy it had been to sneak into Park Minhwan’s hide out and place cameras and bugs everywhere...now all they had to do was wait and find out a perfect time to strike...

Xiao came into the room but stopped when he saw Jinwook sitting in one of the armchairs. He was about to turn around again when the older spoke up, eyes never leaving the screen: “You don’t have to hide from me, you know.”

Xiao huffed. “I’m not hiding...”, he argued. “Of  _course_  not, that’s why you’re always leaving the room when I’m entering. You’re scared that I’ll talk to you about Wooseok”, Jinwook said matter-of-factly. Xiao didn’t say anything to deny that. “If you know that, then can we not talk about Wooseok?” he asked.

Jinwook looked at the younger for a few seconds before focusing his eyes back on the screen. “I know why you broke up with him. That’s the only reason I haven’t murdered you for hurting my best friend”, he stated. Xiao made a surprised noise.

“What do you mean, you know? I told him-“ “A lie. I know how much you like him. Don’t even try to deny it, you’re about as easy to read as a book. I also know that you did it to protect him from Park Minhwan. And I see where you’re coming from...but did you really have to flirt with another dude right in front of his eyes?”

Xiao sighed. He crossed the room and sat down in another armchair. “Fine, I lied to him about not being serious about him...but he was about to join the gang and put himself in danger. He was willing to risk his own life for me. Park Minhwan is one of the most dangerous guys out there and we’re on his radar. You saw what happened to Yein and Gyujin. They were lucky but maybe Wooseok won’t be. I didn’t want to break up with him...but I figured that it’s the right thing to do. It’s better for him to hate me than to die because of me...I'm not worth it”, Xiao explained.

“And about that Younghyun guy...nothing happened. I just...thought it would be easier for Wooseok to get over me if he thought that I didn’t care about him”, he added. Jinwook was sort of relieved that his theory had been correct. He really didn’t want to have to murder his boyfriend’s little brother which, no doubt, he would have, had Xiao told him anything else but the truth.

“Well, he’s hurting even though he tries to deny it. I don’t like seeing him like that. It seems like he likes you just as much as you like him...”, Jinwook said.

“I just wish I could make this right somehow. But as long as we haven’t handled the Park Minhwan problem I have to keep him as far away from me as possible...”, Xiao answered, ruffling his own hair in frustration.

Jinwook looked up at him again. “Yeah...I just hope you know what you’re doing”, he said. 


	37. Chapter 37

Finals were surprisingly easy, Wooseok thought. The exams passed by like they were nothing and he quickly found himself in his last two weeks of school before graduation. He had seen Xiao flirt with countless guys and it broke his heart every single time but he refused to let it get to him anymore.

Hwanhee, though, was another story. He had meant to confront the younger about his asshole behavior long ago but never really dared to. He was in a gang after all and maybe it wasn’t that good of an idea to really mess with him. Seeing Wooseok’s expression when Xiao left the cafeteria with yet another guy in tow did it for him, though.

~

“Xiao”, he called out for the younger after school. He was on the way to the parking lot to be picked up by his brother. God knows what happened to his motorcycle. Maybe it had something to do with his arm being in a sling. Right now, Hwanhee really didn’t care.

Xiao stopped and turned to face Hwanhee. It was a little like their last conversation a few weeks back. Only now, the tables had turned. Hwanhee approached him. “I don’t have time for you, right now, Hwanhee”, Xiao said.

Hwanhee crossed his arms over his chest and raised his eyebrows. “I really don’t give a shit. You’re gonna listen to me!” he said. Xiao rolled his eyes but didn’t walk away. “If this is about Wooseok-“

“Damn right it is! I knew you weren’t sincere about him but do you realize what you did to him? He’s absolutely broken! He even ranked first in all his exams!” Hwanhee exclaimed dramatically. Xiao let out a short chuckle. “I don’t really see how that’s bad”, he said.

Hwanhee wanted to hit him. Sure, he’d felt like hitting him before but today he might actually go through with it. “You’re a bigger asshole than even I thought, you know that? He’s trying so hard to forget you that he literally didn’t do anything but study in the past few weeks! You were all like ‘I’m trying to be better for Wooseok’ and now you just dumped him like a hot potato, just like I knew you would! I knew it from the start! You just played a different game this time but the ending turned out exactly the same!”

Xiao rolled his eyes again. “Are you done with your dramatic speech?” he asked, looking at his wrist, pretending to check the time even though there was no watch on it. “Wow...I guess you really didn’t care a wink about him...you know, I’d actually started to hope that you cared about him. It’s sad. Not just for Wooseok but also for you. If that’s how you want to live I feel sorry for you. Now I’m done...”, Hwanhee said and turned to walk away.

He’d taken two steps when Xiao called out to him again. “You’re wrong!” Hwanhee turned back to him. “Pardon?” “I said you’re wrong. I do care about Wooseok. Not that you’d understand...” He took off without further words leaving a confused Hwanhee behind.

~

“You okay?” Kogyeol asked his younger brother on the way to the hideout. “Sure, why wouldn’t I be?” Xiao answered, stubbornly staring out of the window. “You know it’s okay to not be okay, right? We all know why you-“ “I get it, okay? You have me all figured out!” Xiao interrupted his brother angrily.

Kogyeol couldn’t be bothered by the younger’s outburst. “What will you do if we handle the Park Minhwan issue? Are you going to apologize to him?” he asked. Xiao looked down at his lap. He hadn’t thought that far. The only thing on his mind had been to protect Wooseok from Park Minhwan, no matter how.

“I don’t think he’d forgive me. And I can’t say I blame him...”, Xiao mumbled. Sure, he wanted nothing more than to get back together with Wooseok. He missed him like crazy even though he pretended like he never really cared about him. He hated to hit on all those guys he didn’t have any feelings for just to make it easier to stay away from who he really wanted to be with.

And he couldn’t help but think about what the older’s friends had told him. Wooseok was hurting and threw himself into his studies because of him. He never would have guessed that their breakup would affect Wooseok this much. The last thing he ever wanted was to break his heart but at the time it seemed inevitable.

“Dongyeol?” his brother’s voice ripped him out if his own thoughts. They had arrived at the hide-out. “Yeah, sorry, I spaced out...did you say something?”, Xiao asked. “I said you should try talking to him once this is over. If you get a chance to explain yourself he might forgive you...”, Kogyeol said. Xiao only nodded, not very optimistic about Wooseok ever forgiving him.

One thing was for sure, though. He was going to bring Park Minhwan down even if it would cost him his life!

 


	38. Chapter 38

“Class President!” Wooseok stopped dead in his tracks at the words. When he turned around he saw Joon Ki from his class jog up to him. His heart dropped. “We’re throwing a party after the graduation ceremony. It would be cool if you came”, he said with a wide smile on his face.

“Oh...I don’t really feel like partying lately…sorry. But thanks anyway”, Wooseok said and walked away. He knew that he missed Xiao but he never would have thought that he even missed the ridiculous nickname the younger had given him until he heard it from somebody else.

Wooseok went straight home after class. His father was already at work when he arrived so he just headed to his room and sat down by his desk. He opened his top drawer and pulled the little box out, twisting it in his hands. Exams were over, he had nothing to distract himself with unless he were to start studying for university right now. Though, he wasn’t even sure whether he even got accepted.

He rested his head on his arms, the box still in his hands, clutching it tightly. He didn’t hear the door open. The shocked gasp made him look up again. Jinwook stood in his doorway, eyes fixed on the box in his hands.

“Wooseok...tell me that those are vitamins”, he said carefully. Wooseok looked at the box in his hands, his grip around it tightening. “Jinwook-“ “Did you really throw last summer away completely? I get that you’re heartbroken but this isn’t the right way to deal with it!” Jinwook exclaimed frantically.

“Jinwook-“ “Especially, since the real reason why Xiao broke up with you is-“ Wooseok got up, holding the box under his best friend’s nose. “I haven’t even opened it!” he told him. Jinwook stopped his rant and took the box from his best friends hands, examining it. It was true. The box was still sealed. The younger turned away and sat down on his bed.

“I wanted to...I really did. Back then the pills helped me focus on studying only. And I needed that, I needed the distraction. When I bought them I was sure about it and then when I got home and was about to open the box...I couldn’t”, Wooseok said. Jinwook looked from said box to his friend and back.

“Why did you take them out today?” Jinwook asked, slipping it into his pocket and sitting down next to his best friend. “I don’t know...to torture myself, I guess. I still miss Xiao...”, he admitted. “I know you do but those are not the answer...”

Wooseok didn’t want to hear that so-called “real reason” as to why Xiao broke up with him because he was afraid that his heart would break even more. If the lie had hurt this bad, how could the truth be any better? Xiao was going to break up with him anyway. Did the reason really matter?

Jinwook side-hugged him. “I’m glad you didn’t take the pills”, he mumbled. Wooseok leaned against the older's side. “Me too...”, he agreed.

~

Kim Wooseok. Top of his class. Wooseok knew he should be happy about that. He graduated school as the top of his class and finally managed to do what his father always wanted for him. He tried to be happy; for Jinwook, for Gyujin, even for his Dad.

At the celebration, following the ceremony, he received several hugs and congratulations. His father came up to him, also giving him a hug. “I should have said this before but I’m really proud of you”, he told his son who gave him a weak smile in return. “Thanks, Dad.” It really meant a lot to him to finally hear those words from his father. He just wished that he could be completely happy about them.

His father patted his shoulder. “You should join your friends over there”, he said. Wooseok nodded and walked over to where Jinwook, Gyujin and Hwanhee stood. The youngest was clinging to Gyujin and looked like he was close to crying.

“That’s what I get for only befriending upperclassmen. What am I supposed to do without you next year?” Hwanhee whined. Gyujin chuckled and ruffled his hair. “It not like you’re not gonna see us at all anymore”, he comforted him. “The café is opening again in a week so you can come hang out there. Yein likes you, so I’m sure he’d also be happy to see you more often.”

Hwanhee’s face brightened up at the sound of that. Jinwook quietly observed the other two without interfering. It seemed like Hwanhee was still crushing on Gyujin big time. Wooseok wondered if Gyujin was aware of that. If he was, he didn’t seem to mind.

Jinwook spotted him. “Hey, we’re heading to Gyu’s after this. Are you coming along?” he asked. Wooseok shook his head. “I’m just gonna head home...”, he said. “Are you sure? You look like you could use some fun”, Gyujin said. Wooseok waved off and smiled. “I’ll be fine...” He just wanted to be alone.


	39. Chapter 39

“Dad! I got accepted!” Wooseok exclaimed a week later as he entered the living room. He had just fetched the mail, finding an envelope from Seoul National University which accepted his application.

“Really?! That’s amazing!” his Dad said and got up from his spot on the couch to look at the letter. “I’m going to head over to Jinwook’s later. He already got his letter yesterday”, Wooseok told him. His Dad smiled and nodded. “Okay. I’m really happy for you, son”, he said sincerely. Wooseok smiled back, a real one this time.

~

Wooseok hadn’t heard from Jinwook since the graduation ceremony apart from the text he got yesterday, saying that he got accepted into SNU. He’d been a little worried about his friend but figured that it was gang-related. He wanted to stay out of that because the Vipers were a direct connection to Xiao. Luckily, Jinwook didn’t tell him what was going on or how they were doing on the Park Minhwan issue.

Nevertheless, he sort of missed the gang. They were great people. The other day Gyujin had told him that Yein had forgiven Wei for keeping secrets and that they were all on good terms again. Wooseok was glad to hear that since he knew how much the older had beaten himself up over the whole thing.

He sighed as he rang the doorbell to Jinwook’s place. It didn’t take more than 10 seconds before the door opened and his best friend looked at him. Wooseok was about to let his face break out into a grin and hold up the letter when he saw the condition Jinwook was in.

A bandage was wrapped around his upper arm and a cut was sitting on his right cheek, he also had a black eye and a cut lip. “What happened to you?!" Wooseok asked in a worried tone as the older let him step inside. “Nothing...”, Jinwook lied. “I can see that it’s not nothing!” Wooseok argued.

“I can’t tell you...”, Jinwook told him in a way too calm tone. “Seriously, I’m okay. It looks worse than it is. It only happened two days ago so it’s still kinda fresh. Don’t worry”, he said. Wooseok did worry, though. He hoped that this had nothing to do with Park Minhwan.

“Anyway, what brings you here?” Jinwook asked. Wooseok held up the letter, now much more half-hearted than originally intended. “I got accepted into SNU”, he told his best friend. Jinwook’s eyes widened and he grinned at Wooseok. “That’s great! I was afraid we might not go to the same uni after all but since you’re a genius...”, he trailed off.

“I’m not a genius, Jinwook”, the younger pointed out, unable to hold back the small chuckle. Jinwook shrugged, which was followed by a wince. “To me you are”, he said. Wooseok was about to say something about his best friend’s injuries again but he was already dragged into the kitchen where Jinwook grabbed them snacks and coke to watch a “celebratory movie”.

~

“So, how are things going with Kogyeol?” Wooseok asked as they watched the credits roll over the screen after their movie finished. Jinwook lowered his head. “I haven’t really seen him much in the past two days”, he replied. Wooseok looked at him.

“Did you two have a fight?” he asked. Jinwook shook his head. “No, it’s not that...” “Something happened, right? Does it have something to do with Park Minhwan? Is that why you got injured?” Wooseok asked frantically. Jinwook didn’t have to answer. He knew that it was because of Park Minhwan.

“Is Kogyeol okay?” he asked. “Yes, he is...but he told me to stay away for a few days just...to make sure. He got injured a little so Wei’s taking care of him but he said he doesn’t want me to see him like this...”, Jinwook explained. “He’ll be fine, though, according to Wei”, he added.

“Are the others okay as well?” As much as Wooseok wanted to deny it,  _the others_  mainly meant Xiao. The younger had broken his heart but if something had happened to him he wouldn’t know what to do...

“They’re all fine...”, Jinwook said, not meeting Wooseok’s eyes. The younger really didn’t understand why his friend was so secretive about it. “Did it work?” “I don’t know. Kogyeol’s keeping me in the dark. I didn’t participate until the end because I got knocked out. And nobody’s giving me details. If you want to know anything, you should talk to-“ Wooseok interrupted Jinwook before he could finish the sentence.

“No! I have nothing to say to him and I have nothing to ask him!” he stated in a finalizing tone. Jinwook finally looked at him. “You should talk to him though...”, he said. Wooseok sighed and leaned back against the headboard of his best friend’s bed. He didn’t know why the older wanted him to talk to Xiao but he wouldn’t suggest it if it weren’t important.

A silence followed in which they both just watched the final credits on the TV screen. Wooseok was worried to say the least. About Jinwook, about Kogyeol...and also about Xiao.

“Maybe you should go home for tonight. I might not be the best company right now...”, Jinwook said. His choice of words let on that he wanted to be alone so Wooseok just nodded and got up. “Alright, then...wanna hang out tomorrow?” he offered. “Yeah...”, Jinwook replied.

“Text me when you’re home so I know you’re safe”, he added just as Wooseok was about to leave the room. The younger chuckled. “Will do, Mom”, he said. 


	40. Chapter 40

Wooseok decided to walk the short way home using a shortcut. He figured he could use the walk to clear his head. Did the Vipers manage to take down Park Minhwan or not? Were Kogyeol and Jinwook really okay? He sure hoped so because he wanted at least Jinwook to be happy with his boyfriend.

He felt a bad about leaving his friend all alone when he was like this but Jinwook had this way of subtly telling you when he wanted to be alone and Wooseok respected that just like Jinwook always respected him when he needed space. He just hoped that the older would be alright and that Kogyeol would reach out to him soon.

It started to rain just as Wooseok turned left into an alley only five minutes from home. He was just about to start running when a hand clasped over his mouth and he was dragged into a van that had silently driven up behind him. He started to struggle against the stranger’s grip but something sharp was pressed against his back, causing his movements to still.

The next moment something hard collided with the back of his head and everything went black.

~

Jinwook was awoken by his phone the next morning. He looked at the screen surprised to see Wooseok’s home number on the screen. He’d already asked himself why the younger hadn’t texted last night but maybe he’d lost his phone.

“Wooseok?” he asked, after picking up. “Jinwook? This is Wooseok’s father. I assume he isn’t with you?” Jinwook sat up, immediately worried by the simple question. “No, he left my place around 10pm last night. Don’t tell me he didn’t come home...”

“I was at work half the night but when I got home he wasn’t there. He’s not picking up his phone either”, Mr Kim explained. “Okay, let’s not panic. I’ll ask around and get back to you, okay?” Jinwook replied, trying to stay calm himself. “Alright...” “Don’t worry. I’m sure he’s alright.”

They hung up and Jinwook immediately dialed Gyujin’s number. It took the younger a few seconds to pick up and when he did he sounded sleepy. “Jinwook? Do you know what time-“ “Is Wooseok with you?” he interrupted his friend. He heard the rustling of sheets. “No, he’s not. Why? Did something happen?” the younger asked.

“I’m not sure yet. His Dad said he didn’t come home last night. He was at my place before so...I don’t know...I still have to call Hwanhee”, Jinwook said, his worry increasing by the minute. “Uh...there’s no need for that. Hwanhee’s with us...”, Gyujin said in a sort of bashful tone. “ _Us?_ As in you and your boyfriends?”

“Yeah...” Jinwook wanted to ask questions but Wooseok was his number one priority right now. “We’ll talk about this later. Text me if you hear anything, okay?” he said. “Sure”, Gyujin said.

Jinwook hung up and had to take a few seconds to calm himself down. He couldn’t freak out right now. Wooseok was probably just fine. Still, he had a bad feeling about this. If Wooseok was fine he would have somehow found a way to call, even if he lost his phone.

He dialed the next number on his phone, hoping to find a simple explanation. “This better be important...”, Xiao’s sleepy voice came from the other side of the line. “It is. Have you seen Wooseok? He seems to be missing. Is he with you?” Jinwook asked, noticing how shaky his voice had started to sound.

“Wait, what?! No, he’s not with me. Did you say _missing_?!” Xiao asked, suddenly wide awake. Jinwook slumped over. Now, he was really worried. He explained the situation to Xiao who seemed like he was getting ready while the older was talking. “I’ll find him”, the younger said and hung up.

He called Kogyeol last. He was pretty sure that his boyfriend had no idea where Wooseok was but he hadn’t spoken to him in a few days and he needed to hear his voice right now or he would completely freak out.

Kogyeol’s voice didn’t sound sleepy when he picked up so Jinwook figured that he had been up all night again. “Hey, is everything alright? It’s pretty early in the morning”, the older asked. “I’m sorry...apparently Wooseok is missing and I’m freaking out because nobody has seen him and I know you said to stay away from you for a while but I...-“ he cut himself off.

“Wooseok’s missing? Since when?” Kogyeol asked, sounding alarmed. “His Dad said that he doesn’t seem to have come home yesterday. I don’t know what to do. He was here and I sent him home. What if-“ “Don't assume bad things right away. I’m on my way, okay? We’ll figure this out. Stay calm”, the older said.

Jinwook nodded, even though he knew that his boyfriend couldn’t see him. He took a deep breath and tried not to picture the worst kind of images of what could have happened to Wooseok.

“I’ll be there in fifteen minutes, alright?” Kogyeol said reassuringly. “Alright...”, Jinwook answered and they hung up. He spent the time until his boyfriend arrived calling everyone he could think of but nobody had seen Wooseok or heard from him. He really had gone missing. 


	41. Chapter 41

Xiao didn’t know where to look for Wooseok. He just drove around the city, having just bought a new motorbike after finally getting rid of that annoying arm sling. He knew the chances of finding Wooseok just walking around were slim but he had to try anyway.

He didn’t know how long he’d been searching but he had to give up eventually. Wooseok wasn’t just hanging around in the city. He could feel it; something was wrong here.

He decided to drive to his brother’s hideout. “Xiao. Kogyeol told us about Wooseok!” Bit-to said without greeting him when he walked into the living room. “Yeah, I looked everywhere but I couldn’t find him. I don’t know what to do...”, Xiao replied. Kuhn ran a hand through his own hair.  

“I’d suggest going to the police but they wouldn't do anything because he hasn’t even been missing for 24 hours yet...”, he said. Xiao let himself sink into an armchair, rubbing his temples. He hated feeling helpless but that was all he was right now.

What if Wooseok had hurt himself? Maybe he was still suffering from the breakup and decided to... He hit his own head, as if that would make the bad thoughts go away. 

His phone rang. He picked up without even looking at the caller ID, hoping that maybe it was Wooseok.

~

“Let me out of here!” Wooseok snapped, fighting against the rope that was tightly wrapped around his wrists behind his back. The slimy man in front of him laughed at him, baring his yellow teeth. “I don’t think so”, he said, playing with the gun in his hands.

Wooseok had no idea where he was. He’d woken up with a huge headache in what seemed like an abandoned factory building or something of that sort. It had felt so awfully cliché that he almost laughed. He was alone with that yellow-teethed man, even though there were at least three people with him when he got abducted. He was sitting on the dusty floor while the man paced around him.

“What do you want from me?” he asked the man who laughed again. “I thought you were a smart boy. Why don’t you think about that yourself?” he asked. Wooseok was angry, annoyed and extremely scared. “I don’t even know who you are so what could you possibly want from me?” he questioned.

“Why don’t you ask your little boyfriend?” Wooseok stopped struggling for a moment to stare at the man. His boyfriend? Something dawned on him. If this was related to Xiao then this man was...

“I get it...you’re a Wolf, aren’t you?” he asked. The man gave him a nasty grin in reply. “That’s right. You’re smart after all”, he said and came closer. The smell of alcohol, cigarette smoke and patchouli reached Wooseok’s nose and almost made him gag. Why did all Wolves stink?

“I have bad news for you. Xiao and I broke up weeks ago. You don’t seem to be up to date”, Wooseok said, leaning away from the man who only chuckled and traced his dirty finger along Wooseok’s cheek bone, making him flinch away. “Is that so?” he asked. “For all I know you could be lying right now.”

“You don’t seem to know much”, Wooseok snapped before he could hold his tongue. A gun was pressed to his forehead the next second. “If I were you I’d be careful what I say! Next time you talk back I’ll send a bullet through your head...", the Wolf pointed the gun at his leg "or your knee cap, cause I’d hate to kill a pretty boy like you right away." He moved it back to his forehead with an evil grin.

Wooseok held his breath, both because of the man’s nasty smell and because there was a freaking gun pointed to his forehead. “Now”, the Wolf said and finally decided to take a step back. “Let’s call your boyfriend, shall we?” He pulled Wooseok’s phone out of his pocket and swiped. He didn’t have a passcode so it was easy for him to access.

“Seems like people are already starting to miss you. 18 missed calls from Dad, 12 from Jinwook oh, and would you look at that, 17 missed calls from Xiao. I thought you guys broke up?” the Wolf said sarcastically. Wooseok didn’t say anything. 17 missed calls from Xiao? The younger was worried about him?

The man held his finger to his mouth and pressed call. Apparently, he had set the phone on loud because Wooseok could hear the ringing sound. “Hello?” Xiao’s voice came from the other side of the line. “Is this Xiao?” the man said with a mock innocent voice.

“Who wants to know that? Wait, why are you calling from Wooseok’s phone?” Xiao asked suspiciously. Wooseok was about to speak up but the man pointed his gun at him and shook his head. “You’ve messed with my guys enough, Xiao. Now we’re messing with yours.” Wooseok would have snorted at the lameness of that, obviously rehearsed, line but he decided that, given the circumstances, this wasn’t the right time.

“Who are you? What have you done with him?” Xiao asked, sounding worried. Wooseok could hear faint voices that sounded like Kuhn and Bit-to. “This is the leader of the Wolves. If you want your boyfriend back we demand your entire drug stash. Bring it in a car by 5pm this afternoon. I’ll text the address. Come alone or I’ll send a bullet through your boyfriend’s pretty head.”

“Let me talk to him!” Xiao demanded. The man snorted but held the phone closer to Wooseok. “Because I’m a nice guy”, he said. “Xiao?” Wooseok asked. “Hang in there, Class President. I’ll get you out of there, okay?” Xiao’s voice sounded so soft and so concerned that Wooseok couldn’t fight the tears.

“Please hurry...”, was all he could say, his voice shaky. “I will. Don’t worry, nothing will happen to you. I l-“ Before Xiao could finish his sentence, the Wolf pressed the end call button. Wooseok sniffled, trying to keep the tears in. “Young love is so touching”, the guy said mockingly.

“Let’s see if your boyfriend will make it on time. He’s got 45 minutes. In the meantime, why don’t we have some fun?”

 


	42. Chapter 42

Jinwook had greeted his boyfriend with a long hug. He had missed him and was really in need of his comfort right now. Luckily, the older's injuries didn't look too bad so for now he could direct all his worry at Wooseok. After frantically pacing around in the living room, Jinwook had finally let Kogyeol sit him down on the couch where he was staring at his phone, hoping for news about his best friend. Kogyeol hadn't removed the comforting arm from around his shoulders since.

Kogyeol's phone rang and Jinwook jumped at the sound. "It's Xiao", the older said and picked up. "Hey, any news?" he asked. Jinwook had tensed in anticipation. Suddenly, Kogyeol's eyes widened. "WHAT?! No, wait, we'll come to the hideout. Don't do anything rash!" he said and hung up.

"What is it?" Jinwook asked. Kogyeol looked at him. "The Wolves have him. I'll explain on the way, let's go", he said and got up, pulling Jinwook along. They headed outside and to the car.

"So? What did he say?" Jinwook questioned a few minutes later as the older was speeding along the streets. "He said the leader of the Wolves just called him, demanding our whole drug stash in exchange for Wooseok's life. He's supposed to go alone and bring it to him in a car. We've got until 5pm", Kogyeol explained, never taking his eyes off the road.

Jinwook looked at his phone. It was 4:21pm. They didn't have much time and they could not let Xiao go alone. "What are we going to do?" he asked. "I'm still trying to figure that out..."

~

"Kogyeol! What are we going to do? Xiao can't go alone. He doesn't even know how to drive", Bit-to complained, as soon as the leader stepped into the living room with Jinwook in tow. The rest of the gang had already gathered there, looking at the leader expectantly. It was 4:25pm so they had to come up with something, quick.

"I know how to drive. I just don't have a license!" Xiao argued. "Okay, here's what we'll do", Kogyeol spoke up, gaining everyone's attention. "Xiao will take the van but we'll hide in the back with the guns ready. Knowing the Wolves they haven't planned this well. They don't have more than seven people so even if all of them were there we could still take them on. Jinwook will put a listening device on Xiao so we'll be sure to hear everything. Xiao, you'll make sure that Wooseok is safe before you give the sign for us to attack. Try to get the Wolf to open the van's door. Do you think your arm is good enough to shoot if you have to?" he asked his little brother, who nodded determinedly.

"Isn't that risky, though? What if something goes wrong and Wooseok gets hurt?" Jinwook asked. "We don't have enough time to plan this whole thing through...", Koyeol said in a frustrated tone. "We have to try! I'll protect Wooseok with my life but if we don't go right now we'll be too late!" Xiao said.

Jinwook nodded in agreement. "Let me just put the listening device on you first", he said and stormed to Kogyeol's bedroom where he kept his surveillance stuff. He came back and put everything on Xiao, making sure that nothing was visible.

"Alright, the van is parked outside. The time's...4:31pm. We have to stop by at our storehouse but it's on the way. Let's grab the guns and go!" Kogyeol said and everyone got up to do just that.

Jinwook didn't know if this would end well but he was ready to save his best friend at all cost.  
  



	43. Chapter 43

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warning: blood...n yea...someone dies but fear not, I won't take away your happy ending

Wooseok hoped that Xiao would be here soon. Not only was he alone with a creep in a spooky warehouse; the creep was also feeling him up from time to time, cooing how pretty he was and Wooseok just felt sick to his stomach. Who knew what that guy was going to do to him until Xiao arrived here...

"Aw, you're no fun...how does Xiao put up with you?" the Wolf said when Wooseok flinched away yet again. "Get your hands off me", Wooseok snapped. He got goosebumps of cringe when the man started running a hand up his thigh. "You know, I like it when they resist...", he whispered. Wooseok gulped. This wasn't good. He wanted to slap the guy's hand away but both his hands were still restricted behind his back.

The sound of a car made the Wolf back away and Wooseok couldn't help but feel relieved. The car carefully drove inside and came to a stop a few feet away. Xiao got out of the driver's side with a scary glare on his face. He looked at Wooseok, silently asking him if he was okay to which the older gave a short nod.

"Who do you think you are, kidnapping my man after I generously spared two of your guys, _Wolf_?" Xiao asked, directing his attention back at the leader. The man laughed. "You know we hold grudges, Viper. Don't you know we don't like kids messing with us?" he asked.

"All your men had to do was to stay out of trouble in our territory. I should've just shot them...", Xiao said. The leader's grin turned into a glare. "You should be begging me to let your pretty boyfriend go instead of being cocky!" he growled. Xiao looked unfazed, at least he pretended to be. Wooseok thought that he could see a slight uneasiness on the younger's face.

"Oh, you'll let him go, all right. The drugs are in the bag of the van. The entire stash. It's worth around 20 million, so go ahead and take it", Xiao said. The leader went over to Wooseok and pulled him to his feet by his hair. Wooseok let out a pained cry as he was dragged along to the back door of the car.

"Can't have you run off with him...", the leader said. "Let him go. I did as you said", Xiao protested. The leader laughed, he pushed Wooseok to the ground and pointed his gun at his head as he opened the back door of the van.

Next was a gunshot roaring through the warehouse and the sound of a body falling to the ground.

"Wooseok!" Xiao exclaimed, rushing over to his boyfriend's side within a second. The older was looking at the leader of the Wolves, lying on the ground, his empty eyes wide open in shock and... Wooseok had to look away from the bloody mess or he would throw up. Xiao's voice seemed to rip him out of some sort of trance and he let himself get pulled into a hug.

"Did he hurt you? Are you alright?" Xiao asked. "No...I mean, yes but-" "No time for that, we have company!" Kogyeol said and looked at the other entrance on the opposite side of the warehouse. Five guys had just entered the warehouse, for now unaware of their leader's demise.

"Get inside the van, stay there and don't say a word!" Xiao said to Wooseok and helped him get up. The rest of the Vipers had jumped out of the van already. Wooseok climbed into the van, arms still restricted and looked at Xiao. "Don't move, okay. I love you", Xiao said and before Wooseok could say anything in return the younger closed the door. It was dark in here and there were several boxes, probably filled with drugs.

It was silent for a moment, he couldn't hear whether there was an exchange on words. But he flinched when the gunfire suddenly started. He brought his knees to his chest and squeezed his eyes shut, waiting for it to be over. What if Xiao got hurt? Or Jinwook? Or any of the others? He couldn't bear the thought of seeing them with those scary open but dead eyes like the leader of the Wolves. He wanted to cry but for some reason he couldn't. The gunfire was still going on.

Then, silence. Wooseok opened his eyes again, scared to pieces. Light flooded inside when the door of the van suddenly opened. Wooseok didn't dare to look at who it was. Were the Vipers defeated and was he next? Did he care if he was next if Jinwook and Xiao were dead?


	44. Chapter 44

A pair of arms suddenly wrapped themselves around him and someone’s face buried into the crook of his neck. “Thank goodness, you’re okay...” It was Jinwook. Wooseok was so relieved to hear his voice that the tears that had refused to come out earlier started streaming over his face now.

He opened his eyes again and found himself looking straight at Xiao. He was holding his side but he didn’t seem hurt badly. He looked around. “I-is everyone alright?” he asked, barely audible. Xiao smiled faintly and nodded. “Everyone’s just fine”, he said. Jinwook let go of him, crying as well. Bit-to, Kuhn, Wei and Kogyeol joined them in the back of the van and Wooseok was even more relieved to see their faces.

“Are you alright?” Kogyeol asked Wooseok as Jinwook proceeded to take the rope off his wrists. “Yeah, I think so...”, the younger replied. “Let’s get out of here, then”, Kuhn spoke up. He jumped out of the van again. Everyone sat down before Kuhn closed the door. Jinwook sat between Wooseok and Kogyeol, lighting the small backroom of the van up with his phone.

Xiao had taken a seat next to Wooseok, pulling him into his side wordlessly. “You’re bleeding”, the older pointed out. Xiao waved off. “One of them attacked me with a knife when I didn't pay attention. It’s nothing...”, he said. Wooseok finally felt the exhaustion wash over him. He placed his head onto Xiao’s shoulder and closed his eyes. Despite the situation he had never felt safer.

~

The doors of the van opened again and everyone came out. Xiao gently pulled Wooseok to his feet and helped him out of the car. They were back at the hideout and the youngest wordlessly led Wooseok to the infirmary. Wei checked on him and Wooseok let him. He didn’t have the strength to insist that he was fine, at least physically.

“Is nobody else hurt?” Xiao asked Wei. “We’re lucky that they're not good shooters and they mostly fight with knives. Bit-to was grazed a little but he insisted that I check on Wooseok first. Your brother is fine and Kuhn came into contact with one of their knives. I checked on him when we were still back there but it’s nothing serious. Jinwook got a punch in the face but other than that everything’s good. I still have to look at your wound, though”, Wei explained.

“You’re good, Wooseok. All you need is bed rest since you’re probably exhausted right now. That wound on your head will probably leave a bump but you don’t seem to have a concussion. But since today’s events were pretty traumatic-“ “I’m alright, Wei...”, Wooseok finally spoke up. Wei didn’t seem convinced. “This isn’t something anyone can just brush off...”, he said.

“I’m good...”, Wooseok told him. Wei sighed. “Okay, then...Xiao, sit down over there and take your shirt off...”, he addressed the youngest. Wooseok thought about how under normal circumstances Xiao probably would have made a joke like “Wow, doc, at least buy me dinner first.” Today, though Xiao silently did as told.

The cut was pretty deep but not deep enough to be dangerous. Wei disinfected it, stitched it up and put a bandage around Xiao’s waist, telling him to be careful until it healed a bit. “Bed rest for both of you”, he ordered before he left the room and they were finally alone. 

 


	45. Chapter 45

A silence lingered over them. Wooseok sat up on the bed and only looked at his lap. Xiao had put his shirt back on, still sitting on the chair. Eventually, Xiao was the one to break the silence.

“I’m sorry”, he said. Wooseok looked at him, their eyes met. “I never meant a single thing I said to you back then...” “Then why did you?” Wooseok asked. Xiao got up and walked over to him, sitting on the edge of the bed. “I wanted to protect you. I thought that you hating me was the only way you’d be safe from Park Minhwan. I was scared after what happened to Wei’s boyfriends. And you were so insistent on helping that I thought reasoning with you wouldn’t work. So...I said what I said, even though I didn’t mean it. I never wanted to hurt you”, he explained.

There were tears brimming in the younger’s eyes by now. “I’m sorry about everything...and I want you to know that I didn’t sleep with any of the guys you saw me with at school. I only flirted with them to keep myself away from you.”

Wooseok held back a sob. So, Xiao really had had a real reason to break up with him. “I missed you...”, he said quietly. “I missed you too...I felt like I was about to go crazy. And today I was going to come to your place to apologize but Jinwook called me and told me that you went missing. I’m sorry I couldn’t protect you after all”, Xiao apologized.

Wooseok leaned forward to hug the younger tightly. “Are you kidding me? You saved me...”, he mumbled. He felt Xiao holding on to him with the same strength. “It’s because of me you even got kidnapped...”, he answered. “But they only got pissed because you’d already saved me twice before”, Wooseok argued. They pulled apart.

“I feel safe when I’m with you...”, Wooseok told him. Xiao reached out to wipe a tear away that had made it’s way over the older’s face before pulling him into another hug.

“About what you said back there...”

Xiao pulled back again at the older’s words. He knew exactly what Wooseok was talking about. Earlier, he’d said it in case that he wouldn’t get another chance. “I meant it. I love you...”, he said sincerely.

“I love you, too”, Wooseok replied. Xiao leaned in and their lips met. They were chapped and tasted salty from their (mostly Wooseok’s) tears but neither of them minded because right now all that mattered to them was that they had each other back.

“Wait...”, Wooseok began, after breaking their kiss. “What about Park Minhwan?” he questioned. “We took care of him. Your plan worked surprisingly well...”, Xiao answered. Wooseok looked at him with slightly widened eyes. “Really?”

“We had some help. A fellow gang still owed my brother a favor so we teamed up with them and from there on out it was all pretty easy. Apart from the bit where we got ambushed by a few of Park’s underlings. Jinwook got beaten pretty badly but he’s okay now...” Xiao explained.

“How did Kogyeol get hurt?” Wooseok asked, remembering his conversation with Jinwook the night he got kidnapped. “I don’t really know. He was on his own with Park when it happened. He came out of the guy’s office like this and kept insisting that he was okay. He collapsed on our way out, though. He made Wei swear to keep quiet about the details of his injury but Wei told me that it was nothing too serious. Just his leader’s pride”, the younger explained. “Still, he kept Jinwook at a distance for a few days in order to get better. None of us really saw him around much until today...”

Wooseok hummed in thought, glad that everyone got out of this issue safely. It seemed like everything was going to be alright. He scooted over and patted the space next to him. “Wei said that we should rest and I’m exhausted...”, he explained. Xiao smiled at him and lay down, opening his arms for Wooseok, who happily obliged, before throwing the blanket over both of them. 

 


	46. Chapter 46

Jinwook carefully looked inside the infirmary to find Wooseok and Xiao fast asleep on the bed. Wooseok had cuddled up to the younger, resting his head on Xiao’s chest. He couldn’t help but smile, relieved that those two were safe and finally back together.

He quietly closed the door and went to the living room where Kogyeol sat on an armchair. “Hey...you okay?” he asked his boyfriend. Kogyeol looked up at him with a small smile and quietly pulled him into his lap, hugging him close.

“Sometimes I wonder why I even started this gang...”, he suddenly spoke. “I wanted to build a business without my father’s influence but it somehow turned into this...” Jinwook half-turned in the older’s lap so he could look at him without craning his neck.

“It’s dangerous sometimes but you once told me that you were happy that you could give your friends who struggled with their lives a family...”, he said encouragingly. Kogyeol looked up at him. “Yeah...I said that...” “See? And you’re a good leader. Nobody got seriously hurt today and we saved Wooseok and took care of yet another troublemaking gang”, Jinwook continued.

Kogyeol gave him a small smile in return. “What would I do without you?” he asked. Jinwook grinned. “I’m not sure. I guess your life would be meaningless and boring...”, he replied cheekily. Kogyeol chuckled at that. “You’re probably right...”, he said.

His hand reached up to run through Jinwook’s hair. “Did I ever tell you that you’re gorgeous?” he asked out of the blue. The younger blushed. “Because you are...” Jinwook covered his face with his hands. “Stop...”, he said embarrassedly.

Kogyeol chuckled again and took one of Jinwook’s hands from his face, linking their fingers together. “Sorry, sometimes I tend to get sappy with you”, he said. He looked at Jinwook’s hair again. “Are you ever going to dye it blonde again? I liked the blonde...”, he suddenly switched subjects.

Jinwook touched his brown hair absent-mindedly. “I was actually thinking about...- hey, wait. I had this hair color when we met. How did you know I was blonde before?” he asked. Kogyeol grinned at him and pulled him in closer to quickly peck him on the lips.

“I noticed you way before I first talked to you. I saw how you kept looking in my direction when I used to pick up Xiao from school. And when that bike chain of yours broke that day I used the opportunity to talk to you without coming across as a creep”, Kogyeol explained. Jinwook laughed. “And here I thought I was subtle all this time”, he mumbled. “Not with that blonde hair”, the older teased, pulling the younger in for another kiss.

“Ugh, you two are so sickeningly sweet it’s disgusting”, Kuhn said as he entered the room. The wide grin on his face showed them that he was only joking, though. “Right, there’s one thing I wanted to ask for a while”, Jinwook said, getting a little more comfortable on Kogyeol’s lap.

“What’s your backstory? How did you end up together? Why did you break up?” Kogyeol and Kuhn exchanged a short look. “We met in high school...”, Kogyeol said. “And...?” Jinwook drilled. “This guy had an embarrassing crush on me which he confessed on Valentine’s Day in our junior year. So we started dating but once we got into college we figured that we’re better off as friends”, Kuhn continued. Kogyeol glared at him. “I did _not_ have an embarrassing crush on you! Besides, it was you who confessed to me!” he argued.

“Mhm, I’m pretty sure I still have that Valentine’s card in one of my high school boxes in my attic”, Kuhn teased. Jinwook chuckled. “I can’t picture you two together at all”, he said. “Good because that was long ago and I’m glad there’s no bad blood between us! No need to dig the old days back up” Kogyeol said in a finalizing, but not angry, tone.

“Yeah, as long as I’m gonna be invited to your wedding there won’t be a problem in the future as well”, Kuhn said with a shrug and left the room before Kogyeol could throw something at him. “He’s an idiot...”, Kogyeol said. Jinwook looked at him again.

“Is the thought of us getting married someday that idiotic?” he asked. Kogyeol looked at him, alarmed about having said the wrong thing, but he was met with his boyfriend’s teasing grin. “Of course not. I intend to marry you one day”, the older said. It didn’t sound teasing at all and that was probably because he meant it. Jinwook blushed and averted his gaze from his sappy boyfriend. He was not, at all, opposed to that idea, though. 


	47. Chapter 47

The next day Wooseok woke up, feeling warm and cozy. Xiao was still sleeping so he decided not to move in order not to wake him. Instead, he just settled on looking at his boyfriend’s sleeping face.

All these weeks he’d thought that Xiao didn’t care a wink about him. But yesterday he had proven him wrong. Xiao did care about him; enough to put himself in danger to save him. On top of that he had also told him that he loved him. He reached out to carefully trace the outlines of his face.

Xiao’s eyes fluttered open and he gave Wooseok a sleepy smile. “Sorry, did I wake you?” the older whispered. “I don’t mind...”, Xiao said, pulling him closer. “How’s your shoulder?” Wooseok asked him. The younger made a dismissive noise. “It’s fine, almost completely healed”, he said. “Good...”

“What time is it?” Wooseok asked, not knowing where his phone was. Xiao reached into his back pocket and pulled his own phone out. “10am...” “Oh, shit...I should call my Dad. He’s probably worried sick!” “I’m sure Jinwook already handled that. We can go ask him”, Xiao suggested. Wooseok nodded and proceeded to get up. Xiao followed, reaching for his hand, intertwining his and Wooseok’s fingers.

“Aw, look at you two lovebirds...I thought I told you to stay in bed!” Wei scolded them when they entered the living room. Jinwook and Kogyeol sat at the table, each with a cup of coffee in their hands. “Sorry, Wei. I just figured that I should tell my Dad where I am”, Wooseok explained.

“I already called him last night...”, Jinwook told him. “I told him that you were alright and that you’d come home today. But I didn’t say anything about yesterday”, he continued. Wooseok nodded. “Okay, thanks. I think I should probably go home now...”

“I’ll drive you”, Kogyeol said. “And I’ll come along”, Xiao announced. Wooseok shot him a little smile. Kogyeol finished his coffee and got up. He looked at Jinwook. “Are you staying here or do you want to go home as well?” he asked.

“My parents aren’t home so I’ll stay here”, Jinwook answered. He got up as well, though walking over to Wooseok. “I’m glad you’re okay”, he said and hugged him. “I wouldn’t have sent you home if I’d known that-“ “It’s okay, Jinwook. It wasn’t your fault”, Wooseok interrupted him.

“But still...”, Jinwook argued. Wooseok pulled out of their hug and patted his best friend’s shoulder. “I’m fine, okay? Don’t blame yourself”, he said. Jinwook met his eyes and then nodded. Wooseok addressed all of them. “I want to thank you guys for getting me out of there yesterday...”

“Don’t mention it”, Kogyeol replied. “We’re sorry you had to get dragged into this mess. Must’ve been rough”, Bit-to spoke up. “It was...”, Wooseok agreed. A silence followed in which Wooseok noticed the concerned gazes he got from everyone.

“I’ll be okay, guys. Don’t worry. I just need some rest and I’ll be as good as new”, he assured them with a confident smile. “Okay, then. Should we get going?” Kogyeol spoke up.

~

“Do you want to come with me? You could meet my Dad...”, Wooseok asked Xiao once they had pulled up in front of the older’s apartment building. Kogyeol was waiting in the car while Xiao walked the older to the door. “I’m sure your Dad wouldn’t be very fond of me...”, he said.

“You saved my life, though...”, Wooseok pointed out. Xiao chuckled. “Do you really want to tell your Dad that I killed a bunch of people yesterday to save you?” he asked. Wooseok pouted. “I don’t know what to tell him yet. Though, he’d probably forgive you for breaking my heart if I told him that you saved me”, he explained.

Xiao’s face fell. He obviously still felt bad about the ‘breaking Wooseok’s heart’ part. “I’m sorry...I didn’t want to bring it up like that...”, the older apologized. Xiao waved off. “You have every right to...”, he said. “Do you really want me to meet your Dad?” Wooseok nodded without hesitation. “I just think that maybe you should reunite with him first, you know? You should explain everything to him...”, Xiao said.

“So...you want me to tell him the truth?” Wooseok questioned. Xiao shrugged. “It’s up to you how much you tell him but according to Jinwook he was pretty worried about you. I’ll meet him another time, okay? What about tomorrow?” he suggested. “Are you sure? You don’t necessarily have to meet him yet”, Wooseok asked.

“It’s fine. Anything for you, Class President”, Xiao said with a fond smile. Wooseok smiled back at him and then leaned in to kiss his boyfriend goodbye. “I’ll see you tomorrow, then”, he said. 

 


	48. Chapter 48

Wooseok was immediately greeted by his worried father in form of a hug. “Where were you? Are you okay? Jinwook said something about you getting hurt!” he bombarded his son. Wooseok was still unused to that amount of worry but it was touching.

“I’m alright, Dad...“, Wooseok told his father. “But what exactly happened to you?” Wooseok went to the living room, his Dad following him. They sat down on the couch and Wooseok took a few seconds to let yesterday’s events come back to him.

“Promise not to freak out...”, he started. His Dad gave him a look. “If you have to start like that I’m not sure I can promise anything”, he said. “Well...before I start I want you to know that everything is alright now”, Wooseok told him. “So...when I was on my way home the other night...I was kidnapped.”

As expected his father did not stay as calm as Wooseok had wished. “You were what?” he exclaimed. “By whom?!” “By a gang called the Wolves...”, Wooseok said. “A gang?! Why were you kidnapped by a gang?!” His Dad looked at him, half scared, half confused.

“Because...my boyfriend pissed them off a few months ago by kinda saving me from them before...and now they decided to get back at him by kidnapping me...”, Wooseok said. He would try to avoid telling his Dad that Xiao was a gang member himself.

“Your boyfriend? You mean the guy who broke up with you?” Wooseok’s Dad asked. His son nodded. “I tried telling their leader that we broke up but he didn’t believe me and called Xiao with my phone...which I didn’t get back, by the way...anyway he told him to come and...he did.”

“He did? He came to get you just like that?” Mr Kim asked. “No, the Wolves wanted something in return...but that’s not important right now. Xiao and Jinwook and a few of our friends got me out of there and everything’s alright”, Wooseok said, trying to give his Dad as little details as possible.

“Shouldn’t we go to the police, though? What if they come after you again?” his father questioned. Wooseok shook his head. “They won’t. Trust me. But I don’t really want to get into the whole thing...for now I just want to rest. My head hurts”, he said. That wasn’t a lie. His head hurt because of the hit he’d received from the damn Wolves.

“Fine...I can see that you’re not telling me something but if you’re safe now-“ “I am! I promise. The Wolves are no longer a threat”, Wooseok interrupted his father. “So...about that boyfriend of yours...are you two back together now?” Mr Kim asked, attempting to change subjects which his son silently appreciated.

A wide smile spread across his face. “Yeah...”, he answered. “He saved me...”, Wooseok mumbled. “Does that make up for breaking your heart?” Mr Kim asked, obviously not quite convinced. “He explained everything to me. I was sure that he just used me but he actually didn’t...I wouldn’t have gotten back together with him if I wasn’t convinced that he was serious about me”, Wooseok told his Dad.

„I actually want you to meet him“, he added. His Dad looked sceptical. „He’s really not a bad person. He’s made some mistakes but...I love him. And I trust him with my life...literally.” A short pause followed in which Wooseok’s Dad seemed to consider his son’s words. “Fine then...I’ll meet him...”

~

“You know, maybe I shouldn’t meet your Dad yet, Class President”, Xiao said the next day over the phone - Wooseok had to use the landline until he got a new cell phone. The older chuckled. “Are you scared of my father?” he teased. “Me? Scared? Come on, Class President! Don’t be ridiculous, I’m not scared!” Xiao argued, making Wooseok laugh.

He lay back on his bed with an “Mhm...” A short pause followed before Wooseok heard Xiao sigh. “It’s just...I’m not really known to leave a good first impression on adults. And usually I don’t care...but I care about  _you_  so I don’t want to screw this up...”, the younger said honestly.

Wooseok smiled. “Don’t worry, he’ll see what a good guy you are”, he assured his boyfriend. “What do you mean, good guy?! I’m dangerous; rotten. I have a gun!” Xiao argued. The older laughed again. “It’s hard to believe that you’re actually  _dangerous and rotten_ if you’re always such a softie around me...”, he teased.

“That is a side only you get to see, Class President! And I’d appreciate it if you wouldn’t joke about my feelings”, Xiao said in mock offense. Wooseok laughed. “You’re cute”, he replied. He could literally hear Xiao’s pout in his voice by now. “Sometimes you’re an even bigger ass than me, you know that?”

Wooseok shrugged even though the younger couldn’t see him. “I know, now get _your_ ass over here”, he demanded playfully. Xiao sighed. “The things I do for you, Kim Wooseok...I’ll be right there.”


	49. Chapter 49

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I decided to start posting the prequel to this story today since we only have a few more chapters left!   
> It's called Best Friends and it's about Wooseok's and Jinwook's friendship and other stuff...

"So, Gyu...it seems like you have some explaining to do", Jinwook said to his friend. They were hanging out at the younger's apartment, playing video games while Gyujin's boyfriends were at work. 

"What do you mean?" Gyujin asked, his eyes focusing on the screen. "Hwanhee...why was he at your place when I called?" Jinwook asked straight-forwardly. The game character died and Gyujin avoided his friend's look. 

"You better not be playing with him somehow. He's had enough of this with Xiao and-" "Calm down, JinMom. I'm not playing with him...", Gyujin interrupted him. 

"Then what happened?" Jinwook questioned. Gyujin sighed and ran a hand through his hair. "He showed up here a few nights ago...and he was completely drunk. He kept saying that he loved me and he was crying unstoppably...Jun and Yein helped me calm him down and put him to sleep eventually.”

"Hwanhee hasn't spoken to me since the morning after...I knew that he liked me and I think he also likes Sungjun and Yein...” “Then what’s the problem? Do your boyfriends not like him?” Jinwook questioned.

“They adore him...but the problem is that Hwanhee is embarrassed about what happened and I don’t have the balls to talk to him...”, Gyujin replied. Jinwook hummed in thought. “Well, you should if you want to avoid eternal awkwardness...”, he said. “I know...”, Gyujin trailed off.

The doorbell rang so Gyujin got up and opened. “Hwanhee”, Jinwook heard the younger exclaim. “Can we talk?” Hwanhee asked. Jinwook took that as his cue to get up. He walked out into the hallway with a cheerful grin.

“Well, I’d better head home”, he said to Gyujin while greeting Hwanhee with a wave. “What happened to your face?” Hwanhee asked him. Jinwook made a dismissive noise as he put his shoes on. “Nothing. I just got into a little fight with someone. Don’t worry about it. Anyway”, he said and stood up straight. “I’ll leave you two to talk.”

~

An awkward silence followed after Jinwook had left Gyujin’s place. Hwanhee and Gyujin were still standing around in the hallway avoiding each other’s eyes.

“So-“ they both started at the same time. “Sorry, you go first”, Gyujin said, leading Hwanhee to the living room where they sat down. “Is anyone home?” Hwanhee questioned. The older shook his head. “Just me...”, he replied. Hwanhee took a deep breath.

“About the other night...I’m sorry...”, he finally said. Gyujin looked at him. “Why are you sorry?” “Because I feel like I’m an intruder. You have two amazing boyfriends and then I just go ahead and try to squeeze myself into your life...and now I’ve made a complete fool of myself.”

“First of all, you’re not intruding. Jun and Yein know that you have feelings for me. They knew even before the other night”, Gyujin explained. Hwanhee gave him a confused look. “If they know then why did they not tell me to back off or something?” Gyujin chuckled.

“Because they adore you. Didn’t you see how much they practically pampered you when you hung out here? They care about you a lot...and so do I”, Gyujin told him sincerely. Hwanhee blushed at his words. “I mean...I like them too...it’s just, kind of...”

“A lot to take in at first? I’ve been there. How about we just take things slow and see where they’ll lead us?” Gyujin suggested, putting a comforting hand over Hwanhee’s. The younger nodded and looked down at his knees.

“Alright, then...do you want to watch a movie or something?” Gyujin asked. Hwanhee seemed to relax a little, the blush was still evident on his cheeks but he smiled at Gyujin and nodded. “Nice, I’ll get us some snacks”, the older exclaimed enthusiastically and got up before heading to the kitchen. 


	50. Chapter 50

"So, Dongyeol, you're going to be a senior, right?" Wooseok's Dad asked his son's boyfriend when they were all gathered around the dining room table, eating lunch. "Yes, sir", Xiao answered. Wooseok knew how nervous the younger was and he found it extremely cute.

"What are your plans for the future?" Mr Kim asked now. "Well, I thought about studying something science related. I'm not sure in which exact direction I will go, though", Xiao answered. That surprised Wooseok a little. He didn't know that Xiao was interested in science.

"Do you already know where you want to go to university?" Wooseok's Dad questioned. "Dad, let him graduate high school first", his son interfered. He knew where his father was going with his questions and he didn't want to make Xiao feel uncomfortable. "Fine, I'll be more direct, then. Do you have any intentions of breaking my son's heart again?" Mr Kim asked. "Dad!" "No, it's okay...", Xiao said to him before facing Wooseok's father.

"To answer your question, I don't have any intentions to hurt your son in any kind of way ever again. Actually, he deserves someone better than me but I'll try my best to be good enough for him and I hope that's enough for you too." His words seemed to be just what Mr Kim wanted to hear because he just nodded in acknowledgement before focusing back on his food.

~

"Do you really think that you're not good enough for me?" Wooseok asked about an hour later when the two of them were sitting around in the older's room. "Sometimes...I mean, look at me. I'm just a thug. I go around hurting people's feelings, break their hearts and on top of that I deal with guns. Meanwhile, you...you're an amazing person with a bright future...", Xiao explained.

Wooseok took both his hands in his. "You're not a thug. I mean, your actions aren't always entirely legal, but I know that you're not as bad as you let on. You stopped hurting people's feelings and breaking their hearts. You've changed. And I am not the perfect model student everyone sees me as. I've made mistakes in the past, too. I've...I've hurt people too...and it's not like I haven't gotten into trouble before", he explained.

"The thing is, I want you to feel like you can be yourself around me. Like, your actual self. The softie with the big heart who is apparently a science nerd and never even told me!" Xiao grinned sheepishly. "Doesn't really fit my image, don't you think?" he mumbled. Wooseok laughed. "Why not? I think it's hot", he said.

Xiao raised his eyebrows. "Really?" "Sure, I mean...you're like an exothermic reaction, you spread your hotness everywhere." Xiao looked at him for a few seconds before he burst out laughing. "Did you just use a science pick up line on me?" Wooseok grinned and shrugged.

"That's so nerdy", Xiao said, still laughing. "Hey", Wooseok said, catching Xiao's attention again. "If I was an endoplasmic reticulum, would you want me smooth or rough?" he asked with a sly grin. Xiao decided to shut his boyfriend up by pressing their lips together.

Wooseok's arms found their way around the younger's neck. "Want to test the spring constant on my mattress?" Wooseok asked in a low tone. "Unbelievable...", Xiao said with a chuckle as he sat back. "Will you stop it already with the lame pick up lines?" Wooseok just cackled.

"I have to make use of the fact that my boyfriend is a science nerd. Do you know how long I've been holding on to these?" he replied. Xiao laughed again and pulled the older into his side. "I love you", he said. Wooseok, as usual, relished the younger's everlasting warmth and buried his face in the crook of his neck, mumbling a barely audible: "I love you, too."  
  


 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I legit had to google bad science puns for this one what am I doing with my life :D
> 
> But anyway...
> 
> This is the last regular chapter. Next up is the epilogue. I hope the ending wasn't too rushed or anything and I want you to know that I suck at writing endings...but anyway. I loved writing this story and I'm very thankful to every single one of you who read this and left kudos and comments and even the silent readers.
> 
> I'm still lacking as a writer but I will try my best to get better over time. I'm currently working on a prequel for this story which gives a little more insight to how the friendship of Wooseok and Jinwook came to life and how it progressed and got to the point where it is in this story. Idk if it'll turn out well but I started posting it yesterday! It's called Best Friends!
> 
> Anyway thank you for reading this!


	51. Epilogue

Summer holidays passed by way too quickly and before they knew it Wooseok and Jinwook were university students. Mr Kim was a bit reluctant to let Wooseok move out after finally having reached out to him, but his son promised to stay in touch with him and reassured him that he still lived in the city after all.

He moved into a small, cheap apartment with Xiao after the younger graduated high school and also went to university. Kogyeol wasn’t even mad when his younger brother announced that he would leave the Vipers in order to become a renowned scientist. However, he still helped out occasionally and he never parted ways with his gun.

Once Kogyeol had made sure that all the members would be alright he decided to disband the Vipers. He didn’t want his friends to be criminals for the rest of their lives and he believed that they could use their talents otherwise.

He also kept his promise about marrying Jinwook. He proposed to him in the younger’s third year of university and they got married two years later in a small circle containing their families, closest friends and the ex Vipers.

Sungjun ended up becoming a successful surgeon which gave him the possibility to move into a bigger apartment with his boyfriends Gyujin, Yein and Hwanhee.

Bit-to and Kuhn started their own tattoo shop which quickly became one of the best and most popular ones in the city. They also decided to shock their friends with a sudden “by the way, we got drunk-married last night”, which neither of them regretted, not even several years later when they took in (and later adopted) a ‘problematic’ thirteen-year-old runaway orphan that strongly reminded them of themselves in their younger years.

Before he knew it Wooseok had graduated university and was still living with Xiao. He realized that one evening, when he came home and found Xiao laughing on the couch with Wooseok’s father, all traces of mistrust gone, that he wouldn’t mind spending the rest of his life with the guy he couldn’t even stand until a few years ago. He still took pride in being the first and only person Xiao loved and he always would. 

__

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is it guys...you've reached the ending of Snakes Don't Always Bite...
> 
> If you love this AU as much as I do, don't forget to check out the prequel named Best Friends!
> 
> I love Up10tion and I hope I'll get enough ideas and inspiration to write more about them in the future!!!


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